Every week, it seems there’s a new bizarre talking point that becomes the favorite of Donald Trump loyalists, from a botched nickname for Tim Walz to predictions of a third World War in the event that Kamala Harris becomes president.
This time, Trump’s allies have landed on their new favorite buzzword, one they proclaim to advocate for but have proven to be staunchly against: The American Dream. The source of this new talking point comes courtesy of Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, who — in addition to forming part of the MAGA Moron Five — have also mentioned the so-called ‘American Dream’ in recent social media posts.
“When Trump was President, the American Dream was alive and well,” Boebert wrote on X yesterday, “economic prosperity wasn’t just an idea, it was a reality!” Seemingly taking the “dream” part too seriously, Boebert’s proclamation is more of a fantasy, since her political stances highlight a very limited idea of what the American Dream might entail.
In Boebert’s view, the American Dream — which in theory should be achievable by any U.S. citizen — does not include gay people, trans people, or those in need of an abortion, since she has openly discussed limiting the rights of those groups in the past. Perhaps then, the American Dream is for people like her, who claimed the hope people are feeling around Harris is fake, and whose party is pursuing a roadmap that plans to basically erase whatever is left of the American Dream in the first place.
In proof that the pair must’ve compared notes, Greene also mentioned the American Dream on X, claiming in a recent post that Harris “made her livelihood off destroying the American Dream.” I don’t consider myself an expert on political ideas, but I’d say someone like Harris, whose campaign is all about looking forward, has a better vision of the ideal American Dream than someone who has promoted white supremacist and antisemitic conspiracy theories.
That Greene’s name is even mentioned in discussions of these conspiracies is proof of what her vision of the American Dream would be (read: white and Christian), so her message about defending it reads extremely hollow. If Greene and Boebert — two politicians whose expertise in sewing division is at direct odds with the American Dream — had it their way, it would be more an American Nightmare, but it’s clear this is just another attempt at catastrophizing by two of the GOPs loudest voices.
Greene’s claims that the American Dream will be demolished under Harris add to her previous fear-mongering tactics of late. These include, but are not limited to, describing immigration as an “alien invasion,” saying Democrats would be “rioting on the streets” if Joe Biden was shot, and fanning the flames of a culture war that directly endangers trans people.
Yeah, we won’t be taking any pointers from her.