The thing is, and I know this is just semantics, but these MAGA folks are not “conservatives” in the least. They are reactionaries.

I don’t see much “conserving” going on.

The actual, real conservatives these days are (love ‘em or hate ‘em) the centrist, status quo, moderate, neoliberal institutional Democrats, and the former Republicans (such as Liz Cheney and the Lincoln Project folks) who have joined them. They’re the ones attempting (albeit fecklessly) to conserve and preserve institutions (flawed though they may be), decorum, rule of law, the Constitution, things like that.

These MAGA types are actual Fascists, even though they balk when you call them that.

Here’s what Fascism is: a populist movement constructed around a palingenetic myth, with a vision of a glorious future, with the nation (and leader) at the center of this glorious rebirth. Palingenetic is a fancy word for “rebirth.” So a palingenetic myth is a compelling (to many) story about rebirthing and renewal.

So it goes something like this: “In the Past, We were once Great! The envy of the world!!! Everything was awesome! Alas, we have fallen. We are no longer Great, because of Them (immigrants, Jews, gays, progressives, Muslims, Communists, whomever blame sticks to). But We (the real ones) can be Great again! We can recover what was stolen from Us! The Nation takes primacy over the individual, and “law” is only valid so long as it’s not an impediment to Greatness. Rally around the Dear Leader, then, join the Movement, and let’s rebuilt/rebirth our Greatness together! Let’s kick some ass and be great AGAIN!!!”

That is Fascism, and that is what MAGA is.

When I watched Triumph of the Will many years ago, what I saw is being repeated, with American modifications and flavors, by MAGA today. Same shit, different day.

It is not “conservative” at all. That term is just a cover.

People are angry, and many people find the Fascist palingenetic myth to be compelling. Neolib Democrats have failed us, so rebellion against the status quo is at some level understandable.

We on the Left of center aren’t offering a compelling story or uniting vision of the future. We’re too busy nitpicking and policing language, virtue signaling, and woke scolding people. Calling someone “unhoused” vs. “homeless” does nothing to create a house for someone. Putting pronouns on our Twitter profiles does nothing to ensure fair and equal treatment under the law. Capitalizing the word Black does nothing to reverse systemic injustice. So yeah, we don’t have anything to offer as an alternative to either Fascism or status quo corporatism other than word policing. No wonder they hate us. I hate us too.