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The Gulf Between "Make America Great Again" and "MAGA"
Understanding America ^ | August 30, 2024 | Oren Cass

Posted on 08/30/2024 3:28:20 PM PDT by TBP

While Donald Trump is not a politician known for his message discipline, he took the world by storm in 2016 with a well-articulated diagnosis of what ailed the nation. “Make America Great Again” managed in four words to assert that America had been great, that it no longer was, and that he would do something about it.

His current campaign, by contrast, has devolved into the litigation of personal vendettas, crass promotion of niche issues like cryptocurrency, and pandering to the donor class on tax cuts and temporary labor.

The rallying cry to “Make America Great Again” has become the personal brand of “MAGA,” and these are not the same thing at all.

ONE THING TO READ THIS WEEK

Your one thing to read this week is “Why Do So Many Workers Love Trump?” Yes, that’s right, we’re starting with a piece in Jacobin, from Center for Working-Class Politics director Jared Abbott.

Abbott goes back to 2016 to remind readers of the original Trump campaign’s intensive focus on economic issues. “If we look at the content of Trump’s appeals to working-class voters,” he writes:

we see that a narrow focus on the darkest aspects of Trump’s rhetoric belies consistent and often quite powerful appeals that tap directly into decades of economic dislocation experienced by millions of American workers. … Trump used pro-worker rhetoric nearly three times as often— and anti–economic elite rhetoric more than twice as often—as he brought up controversial social issues.

When Trump focused on immigration, “his remarks framed immigration in terms of protecting American workers, not in overtly bigoted terms based on the condemnation of an entire class of people.”

Ironically, in a darkly tragic sort of way, Trump the iconoclast was eager to make his economic case at a time when it was novel and, as a result, had little institutional or intellectual foundation. Nearly a decade later, a robust set of arguments, attacks, critiques, examples, and policies is available. His selection of Senator JD Vance, a leader on many of those fronts, as his running mate suggests Trump is at least aware of their existence. But a coterie of Old Right consultants and donors who wanted nothing to do with him in 2016—leaving him to his much better instincts—has taken the reins and seems determined to steer the campaign into a ditch.

It doesn’t fit on a bumpersticker, but time is running out to Make Make America Great Again Great Again.

BONUS LINK: One of the best things written about the 2016 Trump campaign was by Mike Konczal, then a fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, now a special assistant to President Joe Biden for economic policy: Trump Is Actually Full of Policy. Policy wonks write whitepapers, Konczal argued, but in politics, the “policy” that voters care about is your description of the problems that they want solved. This was where Trump excelled.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Miscellaneous; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bloggers; cmpaign; concerntroll; concerntrolling; ibtz; ideas; interestingtroll; kamalapropaganda; maga; nevertrumpingtroll; rinoanalysis; tbp; tds; totalbidenpropaganda; trump; whyishestillhere; williebrown; zot; zotthistroll
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This is\s an interesting analysis of the difference between MAGA 2016 and MAGA 2024.
1 posted on 08/30/2024 3:28:20 PM PDT by TBP
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To: TBP
Keep getting messages on FB from MAGA 2024, asking me to sign up for something.

Seven times I have tried to tell them that, whilst I support President Trump, I am not a citizen and do not vote. Finally had to block them.....pity.

2 posted on 08/30/2024 3:31:48 PM PDT by Churchillspirit (Pray for President Trump)
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To: TBP

50 MILLION INVADERS CAN CHANGE THE LYRICS.


3 posted on 08/30/2024 3:33:09 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
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To: TBP
Ironically, in a darkly tragic sort of way, Trump the iconoclast was eager to make his economic case at a time when it was novel and, as a result, had little institutional or intellectual foundation.

There is enough BS in that sentence to fertilize eastern Montana.

4 posted on 08/30/2024 3:33:58 PM PDT by TigersEye (His son nicknamed him Pedo Pete. (mic drop))
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To: TBP

Horsefeathers.


5 posted on 08/30/2024 3:34:29 PM PDT by Bigg Red (Trump will be sworn in under a shower of confetti made from the tattered remains of the Rat Party.)
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To: TigersEye

😄


6 posted on 08/30/2024 3:35:04 PM PDT by Bigg Red (Trump will be sworn in under a shower of confetti made from the tattered remains of the Rat Party.)
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To: TBP

“His current campaign, by contrast, has devolved into the litigation of personal vendettas, crass promotion of niche issues like cryptocurrency, and pandering to the donor class on tax cuts and temporary labor.”

Quit barking and go lay down by your dish, Oren. *Rolleyes*


7 posted on 08/30/2024 3:36:34 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: TBP

“While Donald Trump is not a politician known for his message discipline, he took the world by storm in 2016 with a well-articulated diagnosis of what ailed the nation.”

Contradicting your thesis in the opening line is a sure fire way to identify the trolls.


8 posted on 08/30/2024 3:42:06 PM PDT by TonyinLA (I don't have sufficient information to formulate a reasoned opinion said no lefty ever.)
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To: TBP

It’s not an “interesting” analysis— it is full of crap analysis.

Quote: “has devolved into the litigation of personal vendettas, crass promotion of niche issues like cryptocurrency, and pandering to the donor class on tax cuts and temporary labor.”

The message is the same as it was in 2016 and is anti-elitist financing and opportunity economy, PRO-worker and ANTI- illegal labor which the RINOS support entirely. This is not to cleverly phrased in this article.

2024 is more strident because the last 4 years have been absolute hell and unraveling of Trump MAGA 2016 by the Leftist Globalist Cabal that supports illegal immigration and dissolving of the Nation State sovereign as The United States of America. United.... STATES. Apparently the author is not familiar or purposely ignoring the US Constitution which has been shredded by all this “new economism” of massive overspending, re-distribution of money the govt. does not have and borrows from the Fed to get it. 34 Trillion dollars in debt given away to useless and the Lefts
favorite sponge causes.

Suggest to all here to read every line in this for the hidden critique of someone who is likely in the camp of the republicans who..... WERE. Comments like “right” and driving us into a ditch has ZERO understanding of exactly whom is driving us ALL into a ditch we cannot leave.


9 posted on 08/30/2024 3:43:52 PM PDT by John S Mosby (Sic Semper Tyrannis )
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To: TBP

Oren Cass is a Mitt Romney “Republican,” having served his campaign over some years. RINO who aligns with them over “simplistic” conservatives, as he has called us.


10 posted on 08/30/2024 3:46:46 PM PDT by Worldtraveler once upon a time (Degrow government)
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To: TBP

No mention of the gulf between “Joy” and “Policies sure to create misery and despair.”


11 posted on 08/30/2024 3:48:57 PM PDT by cockroach_magoo (No one is above the law, but some are more above the law than others.)
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To: Churchillspirit

Why should you not citizenry stop you?

I mean . . .


12 posted on 08/30/2024 3:49:24 PM PDT by A_Former_Democrat (What does the Deep State have on Dims and RINOs? Demand release of all tax returns)
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To: TigersEye

Yes and framing the 2024 immigration points and needs for deportation of millions of illegals into “bigoted terms”.

It’s not bigoted mr. whomever this writer is— it is essential to prevent the breakdown of the Citizens Contract- in the Constitution. Trump the Iconoclast? What the HELL? There are brilliant people (and he is one of them, Mr. Trump is quite intelligent) in this MAGA— and it is none of the crap being thrown in this “analysis”. Hardly.

This entire not so cleverly written piece is a diatribe camouflaged as analysis— with prejudiced description of what is being said in the campaign. This is someone who has all the “markers’ of Leftist rhetoric trying to weasel word some sort of justification for supporting liberal dems and Marxists (in fact there seems to be emphasis on Progressives philosophy in the background. Progressivism being another word for World Marxism).


13 posted on 08/30/2024 3:51:20 PM PDT by John S Mosby (Sic Semper Tyrannis )
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To: TBP

I read a paragraph or two, but barf alert needed?


14 posted on 08/30/2024 3:55:41 PM PDT by Cats1
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To: TBP; All

Here is who/what this author is— and explains the “position” :

Oren Cass is the chief economist at American Compass and a contributing editor for the Financial Times.

The Financial Times— this is not the Times founded in 1888. No, it is Japanese owned: The editorial stance of the Financial Times centers on economic liberalism, particularly advocacy of free trade and free markets.

What that means FRiends is nothing to do with MAGA, which was and still is about Sovereign US interests being First— and Euro/British attempts to meld US financial interests into an EU support role. The US is supposed to suborn FIRST interests into “free markets” which in Europe have NEVER been free. Trump points this out all the time especially as regards to China (who has been ripping the US for decades). No this guy’s idea of “free” markets are not for the US to be independent of them— but subjugated to them.

Done with this weenie crap.


15 posted on 08/30/2024 3:59:23 PM PDT by John S Mosby (Sic Semper Tyrannis )
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To: John S Mosby; TonyinLA
No doubt about it. As TonyinLA pointed out he contradicted himself in the first sentence.

“While Donald Trump is not a politician known for his message discipline, he took the world by storm in 2016 with a well-articulated diagnosis of what ailed the nation.”

And a bit further down he contradict that contradiction.

"Ironically, in a darkly tragic sort of way, Trump the iconoclast was eager to make his economic case at a time when it was novel and, as a result, had little institutional or intellectual foundation."

Who can possibly take this garbage seriously?

16 posted on 08/30/2024 4:00:48 PM PDT by TigersEye (His son nicknamed him Pedo Pete. (mic drop))
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To: TBP

Is this UA one of Kamala’s 175 online activism efforts? Never heard of his site. It’s concern trolling


17 posted on 08/30/2024 4:05:02 PM PDT by Gaffer
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To: TBP

If any of this was true they wouldn’t be trying to blow his head off.


18 posted on 08/30/2024 4:05:20 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (The worst thing about censorship is █████ ██ ████ ████ ████ █ ███████ ████. FJB.)
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To: John S Mosby

I know I can always get a good rational comment whenever I see your name.


19 posted on 08/30/2024 4:06:55 PM PDT by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: DiogenesLamp; All

Thank you, Diogenes— your lamp shone on me would reveal honesty- first.

More on Oren Cass: this from WIKI explains quite a bit— and it’s... Romney! Yes, that paragon of conservatism.

“Since 2024 he has served as the chief economist at American Compass, a conservative think tank. He previously worked on the presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney in 2008 and 2012, being described as a “general policy impresario of the emerging conservative consensus on fighting poverty”.

A sad representative of the Dismal Science— who knows nothing about the working poor, or the poor in any kind of manner other than.... abstraction. From a distance.
Thus missed the boat on what MAGA was in 2016 and once again is in 2024 having had 4 years ripped off the process and the policies ALL reversed by Xiden the puppet of Obamaumao the First— the Neo-Marxist (hail Romania/Ceaucescu economy!) destructor of all that is the Great Country.


20 posted on 08/30/2024 4:14:34 PM PDT by John S Mosby (Sic Semper Tyrannis )
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