No, this isn’t about people listening to music, social media, videos, what-have-you out loud in public. I’ll rant about that another time…
This is about the dog whistle that isn’t really a dog whistle any more…
MAGA has never just meant “Make America Great Again.” That was always the cover story, the plausible deniability. The slogan was a dog whistle from the start, a call to a certain kind of person—one who longs for an era where “greatness” meant a rigid social hierarchy, where power was held by the same people who’ve always had it, and where progress was something to fight against, not embrace.
And if there was any doubt that MAGA was about something deeper than its literal words, Trump just made it clear. He called Pierre Poilievre, the leader of Canada’s conservative opposition, not a MAGA guy. Think about that. A right-wing politician, in another country, who opposes liberals, pushes economic nationalism, and courts populist anger—but he’s not MAGA. Why?
Because MAGA isn’t just conservatism. It’s not even just far-right politics. MAGA is a loyalty test. It’s about submission to Trump personally—his version of power, his version of truth, his version of reality. It’s not about policies, it’s about fealty.
That’s why Republicans who don’t worship him get cast out as RINOs (Republicans In Name Only). That’s why people who voted for him twice but dared to question the 2020 election lies get treated like traitors. And that’s why a Canadian conservative—who should, in theory, align with a lot of MAGA’s supposed values—is still considered not one of them.
Because MAGA isn’t just nationalism. It’s a specific kind of nationalism—the kind that demands a singular strongman, the kind that’s hostile to democracy, the kind that thrives on grievance, fear, and revenge. That’s what it’s actually about. And if you don’t pledge allegiance to him—not just the ideas, but him—then you’re out.
So let’s be clear: MAGA isn’t about making anything great. It’s about making sure the “right” people stay in charge and the “wrong” people stay in their place. It’s about glorifying ignorance, punishing dissent, and rewriting history to fit a narrative where Trump—and only Trump—is the savior.
And now, Trump himself has proven it. The mask is off. Not even conservatives are safe unless they kneel.
