Excellent series! I think that each political system has in itself the germs of its demise or transformation. With Fascism, it was fast. Communism and socialism are much more resilient, although never in their pure form. With US liberalism, the problem is that its foundational Lockean anthropology is false. For a long time, this didn't matter because US liberalism was deeply aligned with the American cultural background. But now that the background has faded, the artificial Lockean construction is crumbling under its own weight.
I enjoy the reminder that #NeverTrump/responsible/decent conservatism is still a thing, and in some ways is even able to endure the degradation of loutish populism and might watch it sunset.
But to uphold "fusionism" as the rightful king in exile, destined to resume its leadership of the right-- which you don't quite say but do kind of hint at-- doesn't adequately reckon with how morally compromised the right is. "MAGA, come back, all is forgiven, we'll just pretend you never voted for that fascist-adjacent insurrectionist aspiring dictator adulterer liar warmonger hater, you can be good Reaganite conservatives again!..." won't quite do.
At bottom: MAGA broke the social contract. They pledged allegiance to the flag sometime in the past-- who hasn't?-- and then they voted for a man who had already denied an election outcome, instigated an insurrection, and was running as an aspiring dictator, with no intention to be bound by the Constitution that is the essence of the republic the flag stands for. They are the oath breakers, and a coalition with them is not a morally acceptable political strategy. That doesn't mean you can't be conservative in some sense, or regard late 20th-century American fusionism as the best Christian politics yet implemented. But I don't think a restoration is feasible. The moral stain of MAGA goes too deep.
We need to think like loyal Romans in the Dark Ages, ruled by Huns or Goths. How does one live when one's loyalty is owed to a fallen order?
Excellent series! I think that each political system has in itself the germs of its demise or transformation. With Fascism, it was fast. Communism and socialism are much more resilient, although never in their pure form. With US liberalism, the problem is that its foundational Lockean anthropology is false. For a long time, this didn't matter because US liberalism was deeply aligned with the American cultural background. But now that the background has faded, the artificial Lockean construction is crumbling under its own weight.
Interesting theory. I’ll reflect.
I enjoy the reminder that #NeverTrump/responsible/decent conservatism is still a thing, and in some ways is even able to endure the degradation of loutish populism and might watch it sunset.
But to uphold "fusionism" as the rightful king in exile, destined to resume its leadership of the right-- which you don't quite say but do kind of hint at-- doesn't adequately reckon with how morally compromised the right is. "MAGA, come back, all is forgiven, we'll just pretend you never voted for that fascist-adjacent insurrectionist aspiring dictator adulterer liar warmonger hater, you can be good Reaganite conservatives again!..." won't quite do.
At bottom: MAGA broke the social contract. They pledged allegiance to the flag sometime in the past-- who hasn't?-- and then they voted for a man who had already denied an election outcome, instigated an insurrection, and was running as an aspiring dictator, with no intention to be bound by the Constitution that is the essence of the republic the flag stands for. They are the oath breakers, and a coalition with them is not a morally acceptable political strategy. That doesn't mean you can't be conservative in some sense, or regard late 20th-century American fusionism as the best Christian politics yet implemented. But I don't think a restoration is feasible. The moral stain of MAGA goes too deep.
We need to think like loyal Romans in the Dark Ages, ruled by Huns or Goths. How does one live when one's loyalty is owed to a fallen order?