Lost Debate Minnesota, Powell, MAGA Intellectuals
Jan 14, 2026
Laura K. Field, a political theorist and author of Furious Minds, delves into the overlooked intellectual undercurrents of the MAGA New Right. She highlights why mainstream media often misses the significance of right-wing thinkers. Field categorizes key factions, like the Claremont Institute's nostalgics and post-liberals advocating for church-state integration. They discuss the consequences of extreme ideologies, including rising misogyny and shifts in identity loyalty. Field emphasizes the need for civic resistance against radical ideas as a means to protect democratic norms.
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Claremont's Ahistorical Founding Ideal
- The Claremont/Claremont-affiliated faction idealizes the Founding and views departures as degradation.
- Field calls their constitutional reading ahistorical and prone to counterrevolutionary, apocalyptic rhetoric.
Post-Liberals Favor Church-Inspired State Power
- Post-liberals, often conservative Catholics, reject liberal pluralism and favor reintegrating church and state.
- They may support a stronger role for the state economically while pushing socially conservative ends.
National Conservatism Centers On The Nation
- National Conservatives prioritize the nation and cultural unity, led by thinkers like Yoram Hazony.
- Field notes tensions with other factions but sees NatCons as key organizers of conferences and policy discussions.
