Trump supporters ideology and that of the extreme Republican right consists of an almost lethal cocktail for our country and our people. The elements of that cocktail are as follows:
• An extreme libertarian point of view that says basically, “ I have the right to do anything I want to, regardless olf the consequences for others, and nobody should be able to interfere with that.” That is why they constantly focus on deregulation. Most regulations attempt to protect people in some way. Those libertarians want regulations removed so that they can exploit others and amass wealth. They also see it as a means to acquire and maintain special privilege.
• A n unholy alliance with evangelical Christian leaders and followers. Such an alliance gives the extreme libertarian point of view a shield of false legitimacy. It serves the desire of many evangelical leaders to comingle religion and politics so that they can use government to impose their religious ideology on everyone.
• A focus on on law and order to maintain the privilege, power, and status This is one of the reasons why Black and Hispanic populations in our country show higher crime and incarcerations. It also largely explains why the excessive use of force among police forces and unequal treatment under the law are so hard to correct. It also helps to explain why the NRA has been so successful in pushing gun ownership and open carry.
• A focus on extreme nationalism. This focus serves two purposes. First, it legitimizes extreme libertarian ideology which seeks to dominate and exploit other countries. Second, it gives the ideology a false veneer of “patriotism”, helping greatly to legitimize a corrupt set of beliefs and action.