Re: Trump's Faction

Whit, I did not say Trump was running a campaign based on patriotism. I was identifying the passion he was tapping into among the Republican base.

 In this, I am putting you might say the best face on the situation. It is clear that Trump's intention is to galvanize a nationalist/populist coalition around an America First agenda, whether that be immigration controls, international trade, or national security. And there is a vast gulf, in my opinion, between bonafide patriotism - which is a national good - and nationalism/populism - which is a national cancer. The former is a positive pride and self assurance that, whatever particular agenda the body politic undertakes, magnifies the civilizational gains of the Founding of this country around individual rights, whereas the latter distorts and ultimately undermines those rights.

Compare the universal admiration of a patriotic leader like George Washington with the worshipful idolatry of a nationalist/populist like Franklin Roosevelt, and you can begin to see the effects, beneficial and deleterious, respectively, on our politics. The former evokes the unum in E Pluribus Unum; the latter, E Pluribus only, and a bitter, divisive electorate, jockeying for power and favors from the Guvmint.

Trump's quasi Dear Leader style does bear watching. But that is part of my point: the patriotic instincts of the American public are there, Trump is tapping into them, and if we advocate strongly for our principles, I think Trump and Trump's style can be directed to enhance the 'good' instincts of the public, preserving what is best in America - its patriotism, love of country, and pride in our Founding principles.

And thereby put Obama's America with all its rancor, animosity, and divisiveness on the ash heap of history where it belongs.