1/ THREAD. Like it or Trump it, outside of being anti-Obama, the Tea Party Movement had no real ideological identity and allowed populism, nationalism, and fringe conspiracy kookdom to fester. Looking back, this movement was the precursor to Trumpism.
2/ FTR, I went to a TP rally in Orlando in 2009, and I was as critical of what I witnessed then as I am today.
There were some decent speakers (who are now mostly hypocritical "what was bad for Obama is good for Trump" MAGAts), but I was primarily concerned with the populist...
3/ ...and delusional, "vote them ALL out" mindset, and how the the movement itself attracted the very Bircher-type undesirables William F. Buckley successfully ostracized from the conservative agenda in his day.
1/ FULL THREAD. Remember. Although many Trump cultists claim to be Conservatives and/or Christians, and scream "LIB-BRUH!" at anyone who dares to criticize him, what makes them a cult is how they do not hold Trump to any standards...
2/ ...shamelessly defend his transgressions against everything they claim to espouse, and go as far as equating their "conservatism, faith, and patriotism" with fealty to the corrupt orange menace.
3/ Examples...
When the "grab them by the pussy" Trump tapes came out, the cult said, "It's just locker room talk."
When vile Trump mimicked and mocked a disabled reporter, the cult bellowed "Trump mocks everyone like that."