I remember the excitement and optimism coursing through conservatize America when Donald Trump arrived on the political scene. It was refreshing to hear a presidential candidate acknowledge that the Establishment power structure was made up of war-loving liars who intentionally inundated American cities with third world migrants. People loved how Trump outplayed the media at their own game. They loved that he said out loud what we’d all been thinking for a long time. They loved him— because he loved America.

Trump made people believe real change was possible.

Trumpism came on the scene at the same time I was entering journalism. I had a first row seat to the excitement, hysteria, and derangement—to a historic movement. I covered the rallies as Trump mania took over any town the president touched down in. I proofed piles of mainstream reports by propagandists going apoplectic over everything the former real estate tycoon did and said. They attacked him day after day. But like weak fighters swinging into the air, they could never land anything substantial. It didn’t matter what they said, because Trump tapped into a movement, a constituency tired of wars, third world migrants, and lying politicians. He had their back—and he was going to save America.

Things were changing. We were on the verge of true transformation in this country.

Until we weren’t.

After one year into Trump’s second term, it’s become clear that, in many ways, Trump has become like the neoconservatives he defeated early in his political career. Like cockroaches, they survived years of fumigating and are now crawling all over the White House, including into the president’s ear.

Meanwhile, under the shrinking MAGA tent, another movement is brewing. Unlike Trumpism, this movement is dedicated to principles that our government was supposed to adhere to all along. It’s a little less flashy but much heavier on substance. And its emerging leader is a nerdy MIT graduate who has displayed more backbone than every veteran in Congress.

Is America ready for an political movement that wants smaller government, fiscal responsibility, and no more wars without congressional approval?

Listen to my analysis in the video above…

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Paul Dragu is an award-winning newspaper journalist, a senior writer at The New American magazine, and the collaborative writer of Defector: A True Story of Tyranny, Liberty, and Purpose. You can email Paul at [email protected]

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