The recent success of both MAGA and the Democratic Socialists of America is an alarm bell clanging loudly that extremism in the guise of sheep-bleating appealing messages is wolves in sheep's clothing who lust after the manipulation or outright end of democracy, including replacement by autocracy, to gain control for their narrow and defined interests. The answer to combatting extremism from both left and right, my friends, is to fight like hell for democracy as we have known it. Reform to strengthen it, cherry-pick some pubic policy ideas from either camp you like or object to, but be glad those of you in the middle can still have the ability to make your voices heard now and in the future. Democracy is a benefit that includes all of those that are governed ....not just a benefit for one class, or race, or religion, that provides a level field for those aspiring to get their priorities on the table for consideration without fear of retribution and punishment by government.
The answer to the emergence of these extremists is to reveal hidden or open agendas and to promote, not just protect, the structure of democracy we have had for 250 years and to strengthen it. At issue with both extremists is who controls the policies and powers of government: the people of all stripes who have the ability and chance to influence the direction of leaders, or is it the rule in use of power and policies by one ideology, or "strong leader," an autocracy, who issues edicts and orders as laws to be followed?.
Both Democratic Socialists and MAGA have it as a strategy to alter the form of representative democracy as we have known it and reshape it to their advantage. If not the form is altered, there are other ways to subvert and reshape it to help accomplish their goals. Their proposals are not equal or alike in the details, but do share some characteristics. Both Democratic Socialists and MAGA are about what kinds of control over issues of who can and how people vote. Both are essentially anti-democratic because they subtly or openly advocate that one particular economic or social or racial class should rule over the rest of us using the tools of fear and/or favor.
MAGA's agenda is subtle and often unspoken, but by their deeds, actions, and suppression of opposition's rights, and those they try to suppress are the tell-tales. To get where they are going is a matter of deduction. On the other hand, the platform of the Democratic Socialists of America is right there for you to read at https://program.dsausa.org/. Do a Google or ChatGPT search for better bluntness and clarity. The question becomes what part of this platform does a candidate running as a democratic socialist support. It may vary a great deal, but the exposure is fair game and easy to do. When it comes to pinning down MAGA candidates, watch for evasion and code words and dog whistles. That is much more of a challenge, since overt racism is still not politically acceptable, making it hard to get at to what extent it is a factor. Instead, there is more reliance on deduction of observed impacts, practices, and public policy issue stances.
The platform of the Democratic Socialists of America is now under attack by MAGA, and a walk through Google reveals their real goals: restructuring our form of democracy to give power, not to all of the people, but to one economic class, and the elimination of capitalism. There will be plenty of others from the right to decry this platform and call it out. It is all there in black and white and in print. and easy to do, but in calling it out, the challenge should be truthful and not place unsupported planks onto every candidate who claims affiliation with Democratic Socialists. The movement may have a written platform, but adherence is not uniform. However, there are those in the left who will correctly call out the MAGA movement's portion that empowers white nationalists,, while suppressing those who rightfully object to attempts to control their rights to vote, or to participate in governance to which they have been entitled by law to do so, and puts an undo burden on large swathes of women and elderly who will find themselves disengranchised by the harshness of the SAVE act to prove citizenship.
On the other hand, the MAGA platform is also an attempt to change the democracy of rule, by and for the people, to rule by one party for the benefit of one leader, for the benefit of a specific cultural/racial group and suppression of those who oppose that. What is driving it is mostly not spoken, or in print, but what, in dulcet tones, it promotes if rule by white Christians by their actions. There is no written platform other than a carefully phrased blueprint in the documents of Project 2025. IN that regard, the MAGA movement is more insidious than Democratic Socialists, but what issues and practices MAGA promotes are also just as destructive of democracy. The old "by their deeds you will know them," like the replacement of those of color in the halls of DC and the Pentagon, and actions of ICE and others trampling civil rights, such actions are the marker of a movement whose focus and purpose is to boost those of a certain race and gender. Democracy is government by participation of all of the people, not just for a chosen socio/econommic/racial group.
Neither Democratic Socialists nor MAGA represent the views of most Americans, who are either not aware of how their control of who governs them is being taken away or are too absorbed with day-to-day life to pay attention. Effective politicians may make hay by painting a political party as taken over by extremists or name-calling them as fascists or communists, but it is not that simple. Simple memes and slogans are for simple minds. Take the time to think and demand answers. Ask individual candidates a question: do you want one party, one person, to tell you what to vote for and to disadvantage you if you speak out, or are afraid to. My guess is, most Americans would want to be in control, and not controlled by some one-party, one-ideology, with overt or hidden agendas. Americans as a whole are just not into political science or ideology so long as they can vote and have a say. The NO Kings marches, anti-ICE demonstrations against concentration camps, outrage against ICE brutality, and the demonstrators' success in changing the outcome show that the power is still with the people. However, if either Democratic Socialists or MAGA have their way, that too, the will of the people, can be shifted away in favor of the rule of one economic class or racial/cultural class. Democracy is a system that allows for all to be heard to convince others to follow without fear of reprisals.. Democracy is not for the benefit of selected groups to lead and control over others they disdain.. Neither Democratic Socialists nor MAGA look to govern in the benefit of all in their jurisdictions with even-handed fairness. Instead, both favor benefitting some groups over others. MAGA even uses or tolerates threats and fear with unevidenced pretenses to enforce loyalty beyond the ballot box.
The answer to both extremes is for the great American middle to become aware and alarmed by either extreme end and to support candidates who will represent all Americans, not just their ideological kin, and who support the institutions of Democracy that have served us well. None should rule out reforming those parts that need reform, especially those concerning grift, corruption, and exploitation of the weaker, however. There are loopholes and ways through and around laws unimagined by our founders.
In micro terms, when specific planks of the extremists are frightening to many, each candidate must be asked if they approve what their ideology/religion promotes. Step one is learning what either extremist movement truly sees as their end game and how they strive to empower a narrow interest that suppresses yours. Step two is to support and elect candidates who, likewise, support democracy as we have known it for 250 years, which, in the long run, keeps all people being governed with fair and equal exercise of democracy.
The alternative to democracy is rule by one or a few, with rights of the opposition suppressed by various means and degrees. This past year and a half illustrates what happens when those put their trust in one person, and that person goes off the rails, and there is no good recourse, except the ballot box. Trump was elexted in 2024 by promoses of no more foreign wars, and a reduction of the cost of lving: He has now done the opposite, and given his rule by fear and favor, there is no way out of this excepy by fair and free elections, not elections with voting and tabulaiton contorlled by his federal loyalists, but by the fragmentation and folliwing the rules laid out in every jurisdiction to ensure that the vote and count are open with many bi-partisan eyes on the process and not under threat by armed representatives of the federal government.
What is MAGA. How do you define it? The British tried to explain it in their recent AI version of their famous encyclopedia, but it was mostly a description and history of its trail of beliefs. https://www.britannica.com/topic/MAGA-movement.
Merriam-Webster :political movement calling for strict limits on immigration and a return to policies and practices in place before globalization and especially before the era of globalization that began in the late 20th century"
Wikipedia :'Defining elements of MAGA include Republicans who voted for Trump in the 2020 presidential election and deny the results of that election,[2] cult-like behavior as followers of Trump, [3] political radicalisation, white nationalism,[4] anti-immigrant beliefs (including nativism), an emotionally intense sense of shared identity, resentment of specific groups of people, identity fusion, moral self-righteousness, belief in social dominance orientation, and prejudiced aggressiveness.[
My own definition and a pretty sure indication you are a MAGA:ifYou wear the red MAGA hat and still claim the 2020 election really elected Trump. Election denialism is a mantra that those loyal to MAGA and Trump must utter to qualify as a member of the movement. It is more than just a pledge of allegiance to Trump and a membership ritual in MAGA. It is MAGA's foundation and rationale of the Jan 6th attempted coup, of federal one-party takeover of elections determining who can vote, how they can vote, and who counts and keeps control of the ballots (SAVE ACT), and the basis for ICE cruelty, paramilitarism, and concentration camp internments, since the 2 or has been; just believe)
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