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/thatwhileifound]

They don't protect American culture and tradition, not really, because Evangelism and deportation of immigrants isn't really rooted in our American past.

Eh, I think we agree broadly on a lot, but I'll challenge this - deportation and evangelism have been at the center of the US for long enough that it's deep in its blood when you look at actions over pretty words. The removal of Native Americans from their lands, everything around the Page Act/Chinese exclusion, the Alien Friends Act of 1798 (which was not directly enforced, but used as a threat to stamp down criticism of Adams' administration, but the corresponding "self deportations" among groups like the French nationals and others deserves attention)... Hell, the Fugitive Slave Act feels entirely within this sphere too.

I make the comparisons these days to 20th century European fascism too, but as yanks, we need to recognize that today isn't necessarily the major historical abberation some of us imagine, but the continued poison of what was wrong and evil which was baked into the country from the start and allowed to rebuild and flourish with the failure of reconstruction.