I went to high school with John Paterakis in the late 1970s; he is a lifelong Republican and fairly conservative guy, both more conservative and more religious than I am needless to say (though a lot of what he describes, fairly enough, as conservative seems to me benign and sometimes congenial). In high school, we were fellow nerdy kids. John, to his credit, really loathes Trump, not quite in the way liberals do, but perhaps in an even more interesting way that tells us something about the rot in the national Republican Party that nominated and then elected this guy. John's full post is public here, but here are a few gems:
Hopefully, it is clear to anyone with half a brain that Trumpians share no values whatsoever with conservatives.
-- Conservatives believe in small, limited government. The primary purpose of government is to ensure the ability of every person to reach his or her potential.
-- Trumpians see the government as a big cudgel to keep people in line. It shouldn't interfere with your rights personally, but everybody else had better toe the line. Otherwise, it's the responsibility of government to get people fired, deported, or imprisoned if they get too uppity.-- Conservatives value personal liberty. As a nation, we all partner together in our local communities to support a strong, just society. Civil society, communities of faith, fraternal organizations, etc. are encouraged to participate together across their spectrum of beliefs as co-workers in keeping America great, without compromising their beliefs or right to speak their mind.
-- Trumpians despise civil society. Groups are evaluated according to their "loyalty." The ones that don't tow the line should keep quiet and lay low, or else.-- Conservatives value a strong national defense. They encourage the development of the military, but as an institution always under civilian control and authority. They encourage a "citizen army" through state militias and the National Guard, and encourage citizens to participate as a way to acquire skills that they can translate into later careers outside the military.
-- Trumpians believe that "the generals" are the only ones who know how to run things. Civilians are second-class citizens who couldn't cut it in the armed forces. If you offer any suggestion that you don't "support the troops", you should have your citizenship stripped from you (the 14th Amendment be damned.)...-- Conservatives understand and appreciate the rights afforded by the First Amendment to practice any religion, or no religion at all. However, they believe that a strong moral foundation is an important part of American society. We are a nation "under God"; not because this makes us superior, but because it imposes a collective responsibility upon us to act and think according to what Lincoln called "the better angels of our nature."
-- Trumpians think that church is a place you go to get your little wine and cracker. Their leader follows no recognizable creed except that of Gordon Gekko. "Greed is Good." Mosques, obviously, aren't houses of worship; they're terrorist cells. Americans are encouraged to fear and loathe the people who go there. Of course, they need to be kept under strict government surveillance because it's not like they're really Americans.-- Conservatives honor and respect the flag and other national symbols for the freedoms that they represent, and because of Americans who paid the ultimate price to preserve those freedoms. They know that some people don't salute the flag because of sincere moral or religious conviction. They may not be thrilled about it, but they get that this is what happens in a free society, and that people having this right makes us greater and stronger as a nation.
-- Trumpians see the flag as an idol. They happily make shorts and T-shirts out of it (even though this is a direct violation of the United States Flag Code.) They see no conflict in celebrating both the American Flag and the Southern Cross (a symbol of rebellion against the American Flag and the Constitution.) If you don't show the proper deference to the flag, you should have your citizenship stripped from you (the 14th Amendment be damned.)...So when you meet a Trumpian and he or she self-describes as a "conservative," you need to appreciate that like their leader, Trumpians aren't very good with words and what they mean.
The real term that they're fishing for is "Fascist."
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