I don’t think of Republican politicians, Fox News, NewsMax, and the Far Right blogosphere as “MAGA.” MAGA are the rural people who got screwed — by both parties, by Corporate America, and by unbridled globalization.
They watched their hometowns wither. Schools closed. Healthcare disappeared. Home values collapsed until they were trapped in place, forced to watch their livelihoods shrivel away. Just imagine how that would make you feel — and you’ll start to understand why they’re so damned angry.
Trump was smart enough to see the raw power in that anger. He gathered it up, told them it was the Left’s fault, twisted their values into a cosplay version of reality, fed them Fox News, NewsMax, and conspiracy quacks, and forged them into the Trump Cult.
This is all old news. You’ve read versions of it before. But here’s the new part: MAGA is fracturing.
Why MAGA Is Falling Apart
Not because they’ve seen the light and suddenly want to join the Left. That’s not happening.
But because they’ve come to realize they were bamboozled. Trump really is the awful person they pretended he wasn’t. And he’s about to screw them over worse than any Democrat ever could.
They put their faith in a monster because far-right religious leaders told them Trump was an instrument of God. Now they see he’s just a monster. Period. And they don’t know where to turn.
Why My Change of Heart
I’ll admit it — I was pretty hard on MAGA before. Like a lot of centrists, I couldn’t wrap my head around how anyone could be that gullible.
Then, this weekend, I watched Cult College on YouTube. And I got a hell of an education on what it’s like inside a cult — and how damn hard it is to break free, even when you desperately want to.
It hit me: those old Christian values of compassion and empathy may be the key. Not to “convert” these folks into liberals — again, that’s not going to happen. But to help them break away from Trump’s grip and reclaim their common sense, their faith, and their decency.
Why We’ll Need Them
Make no mistake: these people are not our enemies. They were manipulated. They were weaponized. And they’re waking up to the betrayal.
And when the time comes to rebuild this country — to fix what Trump and his enablers have broken — we’re going to need them. Because they’ve still got grit, practicality, and community values the rest of us can’t afford to throw away.
The monsters who lied to them? That’s who we fight. The MAGA rank-and-file? We help them walk out of the fire.
Shoutout
To the activists, organizers, and educators already out there doing the slow, patient work of deprogramming cult politics: you’re the real heroes. The No Wimps Army Wolverines see you, and we’ve got your back.
Tell us what you need, how we can help, and we’ll be there.
Also, a shoutout to Tennessee Brando who lives in the heart of Red Country and has also tried to show us that MAGA are victims, not enemies.
Call to Action
We don’t win by mocking people who were manipulated. We win by showing them there’s another path. Listen to the Cult College video above and you’ll know how to help MAGA walk away from hate and despair.
So here’s the challenge for the Wolverines:
👉 Next time you’re tempted to dunk on “MAGA,” stop and ask — is this person a bad actor, or are they a neighbor who got played?
That distinction will make or break the America we rebuild.
Interesting take on MAGA being victims. I have heard one should not assume evil intent if stupidity could just as easily be the cause of their actions.
“What makes people stupid is their certainty they have all the answers.” -Robert Greene