tl;dr: It’s not populism but personalism/cult of personality (note that the article uses the term personalism in a manner that does not align with the normal definition). | Archive - Edit: fixed a mangled link
In the populist worldview, the people have a unified set of common-sense beliefs (“the general will”) that would fix politics if implemented. The only reason it is not happening, for the populist, is that malign elites are preventing the people and their champions from holding power.
In a populist movement like MAGA, the “people” are defined narrowly as only those “good” or “true” Americans — meaning typically, though not exclusively, white rural Christian Republicans. Trump presents himself as their champion…
Instead of telling a populist story about the people versus the elite, he’s now telling a story of conflict between two groups of elites: the evil liberals forced out of power and the good Trumpists who now control it. Now that his movement controls Washington, he wants his followers to abandon their skepticism of power and simply trust that the government has their best interests at heart.
“LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB — SHE’S GREAT!” Trump wrote in characteristic all-caps.
This is not the logic of populism, but rather of personalism: a version of authoritarian politics that invests all power and authority in a single individual. This has always been central to Trump’s appeal but has reached new heights after the failed assassination attempt last year.
“Pay no attention to this Epstein thing. I’ve decreed that Coke is going to start using real sugar!”
You know, just like lollies. Oh, and Coke doesn’t seem to be going along for the ride.
Most will get back in line in the end, meantime it gives some permission from their own egos to get out.
Have to assume that part of his inability to put this back in the box is because Musk is pouring money into keeping it in front of MAGA’s eyes.
A removal of Trump in favour of some other hyper-authoritarian hazard is not good, but one hopes the replacement fails to capture the ardour of enough of Trump’s base.
I think this one will hurt him, just a question of how much. Much of his base are people that identify hard with churches, and they’re the kind of people that don’t take kindly to pedos. Just they’ve been duped into thinking it is just Democrats, Woke Hollywood, and Silicon Valley Tech Bros on the list. It doesn’t compute to them that Trump and other conservatives are going to be on the list repeatedly.
Most Trump people I know are openly displaying dislike and contempt for the first time truly.
Most people I know are actually Alex Jones/Rogan fan boys, second to Trump. While they liked Trump they actually follow those podcasters stance. I think a lot of people don’t realize subcultures amongst MAGA
He doesn’t need them anymore because he’s not standing for election again anyway.
We saw this in his first term when he shut down the government then caved on his big beautiful wall and MAGA was angry then accepted what he did and get back in line.
I’m not sure how long this will last either, since conservatives are known to fall in line for their leader despite some performative outrage.
There are cases of Republicans somehow reconciling cognitive dissonances that are way more in conflict with each other.
TLDR: His base are morons, that’s why he’ll get away with it.
Where there’s sheep, there’s wool. He just wants to fleece them for as much as he can.
This is a healing moment for wingnuts … some of whom may now wake up
