MAGA is a great slogan and Trump got a lot of mileage out of it. Three words are very specific and one word is vague enough to cover anything.
Great is a word that can mean many different things to various people. Now that's why the slogan works so well. It can slither around to any position that's needed at the time.
So the word great in this slogan. What can it mean?
A great nation can be many positive things. A great nation is peaceful and gets along with neighbors and supports them. A great nation has good laws, respects them and obeys them.
Great nations are respected by other nations.
A great nation seeks to have equality for it's citizens. Citizens have equal opportunity and what they do with the equal opportunity is up to them.
Groups of people are not marginalized. Room in society has to be made for all groups.
Is it difficult to be a great nation? Of course. The effort to have a great nation is well worth the effort. We are much stronger and happier if we work together. Picking fights is a waste of effort.
One could go on with many more characteristics of a good nation. I've given enough suggestions to illustrate my point.
I have not mentioned wealth. Certainly wealth is important. A nation creates it's own wealth. It doesn't depend on others to get a free ride. In the past many nations have used slaves for a free ride. Wealth is important but it should not overshadow other characteristics.
Well, this may sound self righteous. However, we have to look at things as they are to have a great nation.
Great in this case is Trump's ego. Keep the door open in case we have to leave sometime during the next 4 years. I just hope his offspring don't try to run for office after him. That would be after Congress does not permit him to have 3 terms. It's nauseating to us. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteYour neighbors find this a very uncomfortable situation too.
DeleteIf we are a great nation it has to be in the eyes of our fellow nations. Greatness is not self awarded.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is still doing great things. Some people don't realize greatness when they see it.
DeleteIt’s so sad. The USA verged on the cusp of greatness before descending into their resent abyss. I despair.
ReplyDeleteI think the US has been a great nation until recently.
DeleteRed, I appreciate your breakdown of what a truly 'great' nation might look like—peaceful, respectful of laws, inclusive, and striving for equality. It's a reminder that greatness is about more than wealth or power; it’s about the character and values a nation upholds. Your point about working together and avoiding unnecessary conflict really resonates—unity and collaboration are indeed key to building a stronger society. As far as MAGA is concerned … it doesn’t represent the America I believe in. MAGA supporters have elected our new leader. They are more interested in grocery prices than the character of the criminal they have elected. John
ReplyDeleteI like how you sneaked in the last description about criminal.
DeleteIt is a shame that "Make America Great Again" has been politically weaponized these days. It would be nice to be a great country once again but I feel we have a lot of work to do. First and foremost, we as a nation need to seek common ground and stop this migration to the political extremes. It has also become taboo to fly an American flag lest you be labeled at a "Trumper".
ReplyDeleteI agree with giving everyone equal opportunities but where I struggle is how much we should oppress those who have used those opportunities successfully. We need rich people to keep the American dream alive. If we keep playing Robbin Hood by taking from the rich to give to the poor, I feel we will just disincentivize the poorest from taking advantage of opportunities and we will disincentivize the rich from working and living in this country to create those opportunities for the poorest.
The balance is tricky.
DeleteI like the definition of "greatness" that you were striving towards Red but with Trump and the MAGA mob, I suspect they mean something rather different. To them "Great" is about being top of the tree economically, the playground bully who tramples on the weak and scorns alternative views. "I'm all right Jack, pull up the ladder!" is their motto.
ReplyDeleteThe view is selfish and the hell with everybody else.
DeleteYou're so right. The slogan is easy to remember and can be adapted for any cause. Whether any of them can be successfully or legitimately achieved is another question altogether.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the extremes will die down and people move toward the middle politically.
DeleteIt will be an interesting four years…or longer.
ReplyDeleteHopefully not longer.
DeleteNothing he does is "great", Red.
ReplyDeleteI like your judgement. You are exactly correct.
DeleteTrump is a good marketer. I'll give him that much.
ReplyDeleteTrump is a few other things that aren't very nice.
DeleteAmerica has always been great.
ReplyDeleteThe acronym is sadly an irony.
America has its ups and downs but has always been great.
DeleteCould there be an attempt to change the Constitution to allow people born outside the US to become President?
ReplyDeleteI don't think you'd put that one by the American People.
DeleteTasker!!!! Hush your mouth!!!!
ReplyDeleteRed, this was nicely written and thoughtful. America is not becoming great. In fact the decline has just begun. Thank you for your thoughts.
I remain hopeful that some of the extremes will die down.
DeleteI like your use of the word "slither" - it seems very appropriate here.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think you sound self righteous here.I believe in law nature and laws of attraction so these laws are installed within the design of Nature and everything seems to follow it inevitably .if we don’t we face consequences. The sooner we learn the better it is for us fo world
ReplyDeleteAmerica is going through some changes and they are not good for everyone.
ReplyDeleteIt's just sad.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct in saying that if America works together we can accomplish great things, however we are a Nation divided at the moment, half the people in America are pissed off because the other half elected Trump. I voted for him...in my opinion he is strange but I think he is /was a much better choice of the two not so great choices. Politicians are mostly crooks anyways.
ReplyDeleteIt's just racism. They want America great when they had slaves, and black people couldn't use fountains, The Great Depression...
ReplyDeleteThat man is the worst human being alive today.
ReplyDeleteAnd calling him human is being generous.
We are so depressed, anxious and absolutely aghast as we see Trump followers believing everything he says. Republicans are afraid of him and letting him have his way. It's absolutely frightening. I've stopped watching the news because it's so depressing.
ReplyDelete