The old GOP was a sometimes-awkward alliance of classical liberals and soft libertarians with religious-social conservatives. There was friction on policy, of course, but serious people endeavored to unify it all under the concept of "ordered liberty."
The new GOP is a bizarre juxtaposition of overt moral impunity and oppositional defianc…
The old GOP was a sometimes-awkward alliance of classical liberals and soft libertarians with religious-social conservatives. There was friction on policy, of course, but serious people endeavored to unify it all under the concept of "ordered liberty."
The new GOP is a bizarre juxtaposition of overt moral impunity and oppositional defiance, barstool bros, fight-club culture, and celebration of a porn star, on the one hand, with radical Christian nationalists who want to ban porn and birth control, and basically repeal the Establishment clause to impose a quasi-theocracy on America.
The unifying element is glorification of Donald Trump as the towering hero, or the Anointed One. Religious conservatives made a pragmatic -- i.e., cynical -- choice to rally around a conspicuously amoral man as their weapon against their enemies, and he found it beneficial to himself to give them things they wanted. Others rallied around Trump because they admire his indifference to rules and norms, and his ability to get away with doing whatever he wants to.
In between, there are self-described Christians who might rail against some sin or other but don't appear to attach much importance to practicing Christian virtues themselves.
But has anyone developed a political philosophy that links the ethos of Hulk Hogan and Amber Rose with that of Kevin Roberts?
The old GOP was a sometimes-awkward alliance of classical liberals and soft libertarians with religious-social conservatives. There was friction on policy, of course, but serious people endeavored to unify it all under the concept of "ordered liberty."
The new GOP is a bizarre juxtaposition of overt moral impunity and oppositional defiance, barstool bros, fight-club culture, and celebration of a porn star, on the one hand, with radical Christian nationalists who want to ban porn and birth control, and basically repeal the Establishment clause to impose a quasi-theocracy on America.
The unifying element is glorification of Donald Trump as the towering hero, or the Anointed One. Religious conservatives made a pragmatic -- i.e., cynical -- choice to rally around a conspicuously amoral man as their weapon against their enemies, and he found it beneficial to himself to give them things they wanted. Others rallied around Trump because they admire his indifference to rules and norms, and his ability to get away with doing whatever he wants to.
In between, there are self-described Christians who might rail against some sin or other but don't appear to attach much importance to practicing Christian virtues themselves.
But has anyone developed a political philosophy that links the ethos of Hulk Hogan and Amber Rose with that of Kevin Roberts?
“When the facts conflict with. . . sacred values, almost everyone finds a way to stick with their values and reject the evidence.”
-J. Haidt