MAGA is an antidemocratic movement
As we have previously written, MAGA GOP has transformed itself from a political party into a fascist movement. The MAGA leaders and followers own words and actions confirm our view.
Not all Republicans are MAGA
Many Republicans are patriotic Americans who will turn away from the MAGA fascists and not fall for the grift. Some Republican candidates are speaking out for democratic norms and we encourage this development.
MAGA ideological corruption
In the recent Republican candidate debate, when the candidates where asked if they’d support Trump for president if he were a convicted felon, all but two said yes.
The cult leader is charged with attempting to overturn the election and mishandling, or stealing, classified information. Although these are extremely serious crimes, MAGA condones them, which is strong evidence that MAGA will not protect our freedoms, or national security.
In addition, MAGA presidential candidates evidenced that they don’t recognize real problems. Most MAGA candidates refused to admit that climate change is a man-made problem. One called it a hoax. In short, MAGA is so off the rails that it denies science. Science has helped us create the prosperity we enjoy and could help us minimize the detrimental impacts from climate change.
If MAGA takes power, expect prosperity to crash and climate change to wreak more disasters on our country. A society can’t take effective action if it’s out of touch with reality and denies science like MAGA.
MAGA still believes the Big Lie
The MAGA Dear Leader has such a strong bond with his cult followers that around seventy percent of Republican voters still accept as true his ‘Big Lie’ that the election was stolen. MAGA has spread so much misinformation and lies that MAGA followers are confused and susceptible to believing the ‘Big Lie.’ This tactic is straight from the fascist playbook, which makes them susceptible to believe lie the leader spouts.
MAGA will shut down government rather than support democratic norms
MAGA GOP will try to shut down the government this fall. It doesn’t care that such action hurts the economy and peoples’ wallets. The MAGA agenda is more important to them than protecting our economy and government. MAGA seeks to end prosecutions for crimes that they call a “witchhunt.” The MAGA Freedom Caucus has issued an ultimatum that it will not fund the government unless the prosecutions are ended.
The MAGA movement encourages violence
Sarah Palin calls for MAGA supporters to ‘rise up’ over Trump’s arrest and suggests ‘Civil War.’ The MAGA leader in his recent interview with Tucker Carlson suggested that the United States could see intensifying political violence. MAGA leader extraordinaire Michael Flynn took the fifth when asked if the January 6 violence was justified.
Cult followers pick up these suggestion and act. Mass shooters are very likely MAGA cult followers.
Fascist movements use violence as a way to grab and hold power.
Our responsibility as veterans
As veterans, our obligation is to protect our democracy by speaking up loud and clear for democratic norms and ostracizing antidemocratic demagogues and their followers. We must do all we can to encourage patriotic Americans to turn away from the dangerous criminal enterprise that is MAGA as evidenced by January 6, fake elector schemes, etc.
Remember: All Republicans are not MAGA or ideologically warped. We can work with non-MAGA Republicans as allies to protect democracy.
Important Announcement:
Mark your calendar for Veterans Day, Saturday, November 11 at 7:00 PM. Professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a foremost expert on fascism and the MAGA threat will be speaking in Sarasota. Details to follow in subsequent notices.
The event is sponsored by FLVCS and Choose Democracy Now.
In the meantime, we encourage you and your friends to sign up for Professor Ben-Ghiat sub-stack commentary: Lucid, a newsletter for big picture thinking about autocracy and threats to democracy.
You can signup here.
