MAGA Policies and Christian Nationalist Rhetoric: America First Policy Institute Fills Trump’s Cabinet

https://www.peoplefor.org/rightwingwatch/maga-policies-and-christian-nationalist-rhetoric-america-first-policy-institute

I keep saying these people won’t stop ever until they get their way.  They believe they are on a mission from their god to turn the entire country Christian.  But not just Christian, the kind of Christian they themselves are.  They want to force everyone to live according to their church doctrines.  Why?  I don’t understand it, but they think taking away the public’s freewill will make their god so happy he will return to give them their reward of a paradise on earth.  But I thought god’s kingdom was in heaven, not on earth?  But this idea that they and they alone know what god wants, that they and they alone have the right to tell others how to live, how to think, how to have sex, who to have sex with, what they can watch or listen to, even what god they can believe in, and how they are to pray to that god.  As they demand.  I do not get or understand what makes these people think they can rule other people, rule others lives, do all to others I have written above.  Why can they not give others the same rights they demand for themselves, the right to live their lives and worship as they please?  But please notice the wealthy person bankrolling so much of the effort to turn Texas in to a theocracy.  Think about his actions when others try to stop him to protect democracy?   He smears them to try to destroy them.  This is the type of Christian warrior he is and they are.  Do as I say not as I do, or the big one, it is OK to do bad things in the name of Jesus.   Hugs.

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Donald Trump in a tuxedo speaks at a lectern in front of logos for the America First Policy Institute and its political arm, America First Works.
Donald Trump at a November 2024 gala for America First Policy Institute and its political arm America First Works
 

The America First Policy Institute, a MAGA movement think tank founded by former Trump aides, has raised millions in tax-exempt funds to promote policies that would undermine public educationrestrict access to abortionlimit voter registration and votingroll back environmental protectionsgut government’s ability to regulate corporate behavior, pursue campaigns against transgender people, and more.

AFPI has provided money, an institutional home, and political platforms to many of the people Trump has nominated to run the country; quite a few high-level Trump nominees have AFPI connections, including:

  • Pam Bondi, Attorney General (Chair, AFPI Center for Litigation; co-chair Center for Law and Justice) 
  • Kash Patel, FBI (Senior Fellow, AFPI Center for American Security)
  • Linda McMahon, Education (Board chair; chair, Center for the American Worker)
  • Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency (Chair, China Policy Initiative & Pathway to 2025)
  • John Ratcliffe, Central Intelligence Agency (C-chair Center for National Security)
  • Doug Collins, Veterans Affairs (head of Georgia AFPI Chapter)
  • Brooke Rollins, Agriculture (Co-founder, President and CEO)
  • Kevin Hassett, National Economic Council (Chair, Board of Academic Advisors)
  • Matthew Whitaker, NATO (Co-chair, Center for Law & Justice)
  • Casey Mulligan, Small Business Administration, chief counsel (Board of Academic Advisors)

Trump’s first public speech after winning the 2024 election was at an AFPI gala at Mar-a-Lago, where he was joined by other MAGA luminaries, including HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and “Department of Government Efficiency” leaders Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

AFPI founder Rollins has bragged about the group’s “revolutionary” plans to seize control of the “administrative state.” The group’s agenda for the incoming administration—its “transition project”—is in some ways even more radical than the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. AFPI believes Trump should be allowed to fire and replace any federal employee at will – potentially converting the entire federal workforce into a massive and corrupt political patronage system. AFPI has reportedly prepared 300 executive orders for Trump.

As an officer at the America First Policy Institute, Bondi tried to undermine special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation of Trump by arguing that his appointment was unconstitutional. She oversaw what the Brennan Center has called “a number of troubling voting rights and election lawsuits,” leading the pro-democracy organization to conclude, “Her record on voting and elections raises questions about her ability to be the attorney general the American public deserves.”

In a case in which AFPI sought to empower local election officials to delay or block certification of elections, AFPI’s arguments were “meritless and radical,” according to the Brennan Center. In another case filed shortly before, even notorious pro-Trump Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk rejected AFPI’s “emergency” request to block a Biden executive order on voter registration that had been in place for several years. Kacsmaryk wrote that AFPI’s request provided “no direct evidence” to support its claims. The Brennan Center noted that the lawsuit “served to amplify baseless conspiracy theories about noncitizen voting.”

AFPI is funded in part by Tim Dunn, who the Texas Monthly has called “the billionaire bully who wants to turn Texas into a Christian theocracy.” Dunn is notorious for funding smear campaigns against Texas Republicans who don’t fall in line with his demands. Dunn poured millions of dollars into the effort to elect Trump to a second term, and supports other right-wing causes, like the Convention of States’ efforts to rewrite the U.S. ConstitutionIn a 2019 speech to Convention of States, Dunn argued that the Bible is “mainly about politics” and said that COS is triggering a Great Awakening.

Not so surprisingly, AFPI promotes Christian nationalist rhetoric; AFPI leaders have described their efforts as part of a “spiritual war.” AFPI’s political arm, which is chaired by Dunn, partnered with dominionist Lance Wallnau—who believes right-wing Christians are meant to control the government and every other sphere of influence in society–to help Trump return to power. Dunn himself reportedly told former Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, who is Jewish, that only Christians should be in leadership positions in the legislature.

Also in leadership at AFPI is Trump spiritual and political adviser Paula White, who has repeatedly called Trump’s opponents demonic and kicked off his pre-insurrection rally with a prayer for “holy boldness.” White chairs AFPI’s Center for American Values.

AFPI’s faith director Richard Rogers, who took part in Wallnau’s “Courage Tour,” appeared on The Jim Bakker show this week, where he said there will be a “faith director” in every government agency in the new administration.  He predicted that the “prayer warriors” who “rose up” on Trump’s behalf in 2024 will “have more power than Elon Musk.” He described AFPI as a “data-driven machine” that worked “hand-in-hand” with the RNC to boost turnout among low-propensity voters.

AFPI claims “biblical foundations” for each of the ten “pillars” of its right-wing policy agenda, which it calls “10 Pillars for Restoring a Nation Under God.” It asserts, “The Ten Commandments and Christian teachings have been the foundation that created the American legal system.” AFPI’s website declares, “This fight is not just about the culture of America; it’s about the kingdom of God and the Church’s divine mission to be the salt and light of our day in an era of increasing darkness.”

NO ONE HAS ENACTED “ANTI-CHRISTIAN” POLICIES, EVER. That would be in direct violation of the Constitution.

These fucking loons think that if something is not 10000% pro-christianity, then by default it is 100000000% ANTI.

100% separation of church and state is just as important to the church as it is to the state, and possibly more so.

 

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