Erick Erickson is caught up in a flap and I think reveals that he’s so firmly embedded on the right that he can’t the obvious:
It’s not David French’s fault per se, but I’m starting to hate Sundays. David writes something at The Dispatch. It infuriates friends of mine. My phone buzzes the entire day with people sending me links demanding to know what I think. It is more a Sunday routine of late than church. We’ve been going to Sunday School and avoiding church the last couple of months as omicron swept through. I’m ready to go back. But it just means when I get out of church at noon my phone will be having seizures from all the messages flooding in if David has been near a keyboard. …
I do want to note that I disagree with David’s tweet below.
As I’ve documented, I am really alarmed with the growing desperation on the left. I actually think much of the political radicalism David is writing about will fade, in large part because it is premised on one man.
No. It appears Erickson has bought into his own propaganda that his religious movement is based on cool, rational reason, a notion that would probably fatally stricken Paul Fidalgo of The Morning Heresy if he were to hear about it.
Look, without objective evidence to argue over, it’s difficult to make progress and resolve matters, and there isn’t any such evidence. It’s religion, it’s faith – no evidence required. Add in the fact, as observed by Senator Goldwater more than 50 years ago, that this possibly-imaginary God is involved and is taking sides – at least so claim many extremist pastors, supposed prophets, and congregation members, all based on evidence which is, at worst, fake, and at best is based on private information, meaning it cannot be examined by neutral observers, but instead may be nothing more than some odd-ball feeling that popped up after a twelve hour bender.
But so long as evidence is not demanded, there is no reason to believe the former President – or St. Trump, as some deluded believer will call him when he passes away – will fade away completely. He satisfies the desires of a lot of people, valid or otherwise, and quite a few power-hungry people recognize this and are positioning themselves as his successor.
Or, we can take a look at this from the other direction. Since at least Reagan, and possibly Nixon, the irrationality and dangers of the right have been increasing. From assassinating abortion doctors, sometimes in their own worship centers, onwards to the bombing by Timothy McVeigh, to the January 6th insurrection, the right has been increasing in violence.
Add in God, and it’s increasing in the certainty of their cause.
And, yet, Erickson doesn’t get it. There will be a shrinkage in the Trump base, as demographics are inevitable, and some people will leave in shame of what they’ve been supporting. But don’t expect the Trump movement to disappear. It’ll be sticking around, sustained by those who are not happy with the results of democracy, and certain that God backs them in any power plays they may entertain.
