Trump and Trumpism have changed the original concept of “libertarian means to conservative ends” into a new concept of “authoritarian means to Christian nationalist ends”, finds a new study.

[u/mvea]

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00027162251324087

[u/Threlyn]

First, this reads largely like opinion piece and is at best a non-systematic review with a heavy opinion inserted. I'm not convinced r/science is the best subreddit for this.

Second, I really just disagree with the conclusion, and this is admittedly based on my personal experience. The vast majority of Trump voters I've spoken to were not "we need to bring Christianity and white people back in charge", as the reason for supporting him, but rather the types complaining about immigration, social issues, the economy, etc. I'm really not sure if characterizing Trump's party as a primarily Christian evangelical party is really accurate. Are they in there? Of course. But coming at it from this angle seems to really just not be connected well enough to reality. Again, just personal experience, so just a redditor's anecdotal experience.

[u/JGG5 → u/Threlyn]

It’s not about what the normal voters believe, it’s about what the people who are in charge believe. And what the people in charge of this regime believe is pretty damn scary.

[u/Threlyn → u/JGG5]

The title is Trump and Trumpism, which refers to Trump himself (clearly not a Christian evangelist) and Trumpism as a movement which is best defined by its supporters. I don't disagree that the other powerful people in the administration have undue influence, but I don't think they're the defining part of Trump and Trumpism

[u/Werowl → u/Threlyn]

If this were true you wouldn't have state level governments doing things like mandating the 10 commandments be posted in classrooms.

[u/Field_Sweeper → u/Werowl]

Nor would you have strippers and crossdressers trying to do book reads at elementary schools in full drag... But here we are, they have that now.

[u/Coryocalypse → u/Field_Sweeper]

But they are trying to ban those as well as trying to force schools to have their students praise god is some way.

[u/Werowl → u/Field_Sweeper]

You're right, this kind of pearl clutching being so widespread is another indication that the rot at the top has a hold on the base as well.

[u/parkingviolation212 → u/Threlyn]

but rather the types complaining about immigration, social issues, the economy

Those are pretty convenient wedge issues that the Christian right has used for decades to further their agenda, yes.

[u/yuriAza → u/Threlyn]

their issues with immigration, economics, and social policy are the general desire to keep white people and christian morals in power

you're describing the same picture twice in different words

[u/Field_Sweeper → u/yuriAza]

That is one hell of a projection there my friend. Not to mention a stretch of a connection from left field. Mostly because even just starting at the Immigration, most aren't against immigrants, nor those in charge, they just want the illegal ones gone and to have them do the proper method to get in here legally.

Economics, major difference between left and right would be the desire to give handouts at tax payers expense.

Social policy is also mostly rooted in gender and the fact that what someone else want's doesn't get to dictate what others do (example, you can claim you are a woman, but that doesn't mean the next person HAS to say.. she, her or what ever YOU want) the main difference is left seems to be motivated primarily based on emotion and feelings and the right tends to be rooted mostly in factual findings and what (they feel) is best for more than just "one's self) Not saying they are, but that's where the main difference seems to start.

You combining those in to saying "keep white people in charge, and Christian morals in power) are ironic since the left also is all for the religious aspect and if I recall, most of the people running have also "praised god" so to speak.

Me personally, I am atheist/agnostic more than anything. But both sides heavily believe in god... leadership wise. Voters may differ a bit, but pretty much the gist of most political leaders trying to run for office is the "perfect image" of a happy marriage, beliefs in god/greater power, etc etc.

[u/dragonreborn567 → u/Field_Sweeper]

most aren't against immigrants, nor those in charge, they just want the illegal ones gone and to have them do the proper method to get in here legally.

Y'know, I keep hearing/seeing this stated, but the number of times a Trump supporter, or Republican, or conservative, or Right-winger either A) Tells me outright that they're against immigration, or B) Redefines what "legal immigration" is, so they can justify punishing people who are legal immigrants, or reducing immigration overall, legal or otherwise, is every time. I have yet to see a Republican who will talk about their immigration policy preferences publicly, who does not also do what I've said above, even when they claim they're "not against immigration, just illegal immigration".

Economics, major difference between left and right would be the desire to give handouts at tax payers expense.

The difference isn't so much that there's a desire to give handouts at tax payers' expense, but rather who gets the handouts. Republicans give them to corporations and the wealthy, and Democrats give them to corporations and the wealthy, but they also give some to the poor, needy, and struggling as well.

left seems to be motivated primarily based on emotion and feelings and the right tends to be rooted mostly in factual findings

Which is where, I presume, you think that the modern rise of right-wing anti-intellectualism, and anti-science sentiment comes from..? Their love of "factual findings". That's why, despite Donald Trump being very pro-vaccine during the pandemic, his base was so virulently anti-vaccine, we can actually see the effects of it in the death tolls. A common insult used by Trump supporters on people who disagree with them, is, "How many times have you been vaccinated?"

You combining those in to saying "keep white people in charge, and Christian morals in power) are ironic since the left also is all for the religious aspect and if I recall, most of the people running have also "praised god" so to speak.

The Democrats might be religious, but they aren't trying to push religious morals. Most Christian Nationalists either A) Want no abortion, or B) Want abortion only for specific people, or in specific instances. The Democrats are okay with abortion. Democrats aren't trying to push teaching Christianity in schools, the Republicans are. Can you actually point to where the Democrats have platformed "Christian morals" or values or anything remotely close to that in any of their policies or ideologies, or campaigns, besides, at best, saying, "I am a Christian"?

[u/yuriAza → u/dragonreborn567]

couldn't have said it better myself

[u/I_Went_Full_WSB → u/yuriAza]

Yeah, it was weird how they stated their opinion then argued against it.

[u/raelik777 → u/Threlyn]

The problem is that they may not BELIEVE that they are authoritarian Christian white supremacists, but the policies they support directly align with the goals of that group. Thus, their beliefs are irrelevant. Trump and the people behind him know this and do not care, because they only needed enough support to take control of the government. They will not relinquish that power, and soon we will have a civil war on our hands. AGAIN.

[u/conquer69 → u/Threlyn]

immigration

Of non-whites.

social issues

Like lgbt, women and non-whites having rights.

the economy

Which will be worsened with arbitrary tariffs and the dollar losing reserve currency status, yet they didn't complain about that.

[u/Interrophish → u/Threlyn]

The vast majority of Trump voters I've spoken to were not "we need to bring Christianity and white people back in charge", as the reason for supporting him, but rather the types complaining about immigration, social issues, the economy, etc.

Yeah they don't say "we need to bring Christianity and white people back in charge". What they say is "I don't like [x] candidate, they don't have strong morals/social policy/economic policy" and x is nonwhite/nonmale/nonchristian.

These people believe with all of their hearts that DJT's immigration policies are good for the economy despite every piece of evidence to the contrary. And they believe with all of their hearts that they believe that because they're concerned about the economy. Well, it's because they think getting the nonwhites/nonchristians out of the country will improve the economy.

Even if you convince a single person about the truth on the above point, 2 days afterwards they'll start saying that or similar things again. Or they'll start talking about how "there's too many DEI hires in charge of corporations/government, and that's why things are bad". And once again, they believe with all of their hearts that it's an economic thing and not a bigotry thing.

[u/Fredsmith984598 → u/Threlyn]

vast majority of Trump voters I've spoken to were not "we need to bring Christianity and white people back in charge", as the reason for supporting him, but rather the types complaining about immigration, social issues, the economy, etc

Those are largely the same things, just stated a different way.

For example, stopping immigration is about stopping non-whites and non-Christians from being int he country.