MTG Mainstream???
UNASBers unpack Marjorie Taylor Greene’s “sane-washing” and delicate distancing from Trump as she seems to come to the right ideas for the wrong reasons
Welcome back to UNASB! This newsletter serves as a recap of what we discussed in our last meeting. As a reminder, here at UNSAB, we listen to conservative-leaning podcasts, analyze their messaging and themes, and brainstorm actionable ideas for how the Democratic coalition can strengthen its own approach.
This week, we listened as Marjorie Taylor Greene, the infamous Republican Congresswoman from Georgia, joined Tim Dillon, comedian and political chameleon, on The Tim Dillon Show. This episode, featuring the queen of conspiracy theories, has been the source of the viral clips leaving many on the left wondering if Marjorie Taylor Greene is not so crazy afterall. While Greene still espoused many of the conspiratorial views she is known for, her new “I hate politics” vibe and populist appeal made her sound more reasonable and palatable than ever.
Common Sense Concerns
Known for talking about conspiracy theories, in this conversation, we were disarmed by Marjorie Taylor Greene’s focus on the common sense concerns she is hearing from her constituents–the Epstein files and healthcare costs. She jumps in early to criticize Republican members of congress who voted against releasing the Epstein files. Greene uses emotional and visceral language to describe the harm caused to these women and calls for the accountability of America’s most powerful named in the files. On healthcare, Greene goes after U.S. aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Argentina–pointing out that this money ought to be used to reduce the price of health insurance premiums.
Her America First position also drives a longer conversation with Dillon about AIPAC “getting our military to fight all their wars for them.” Greene has fractured from her Republican colleagues in her critiques of AIPAC and referring to Israel’s actions in Gaza as a genocide.
MTG leans into her brand of an independent thinker–except instead of sounding conspiratorial, comes across as a rational populist. From decrying the inhumanity of ICE raids and the prison system to concerns of Blackstone buying up houses, MTG frames herself as willing to fight for the average Americans, rather than for the elites as she accuses Republicans of defending. Between her more rationalized perspective on addressing what is wrong with America and her frequent reference to listening to her constituents, this MTG seems to be a far departure from who we are used to seeing in headlines.
Insider-outsider and “I hate politics”
MTG attempts to distance herself from politics as a whole. Over and over again, she repeats the refrain “I hate politics”, despite being a Congresswoman.
Greene’s use of language to underemphasize her role as a politician and instead lean into her identity as a mom and business woman makes her an outsider–which seems to give her a longer leash to criticize Republicans and the administration and embrace nuance in her positions. She uses her identity as a mom to voice concerns about housing affordability and goes so far as to talk about the reliance of the construction on immigrant labor, an admission that seems dangerous to MAGA’s position on immigration. Between complaining about not being invited to the AIPAC “special Israel trip” and pulling out documents from the House floor from her purse, MTG emphasizes her role as an outsider. This insider-outsider position where Greene both is in and criticizes the system reminded us of the personality and approach of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who is able to sound more like “the rest of us” than enmeshed in politics.
Loves him, Loves him not
In leveraging these critiques, you wonder what this means for her allegiance to MAGA and the administration. Throughout the episode, Greene toes the line carefully–being intentional to say she is MAGA “through and through” but voicing concerns about the actions of Trump and his administration.
This is most clear in how she talks about the Epstein files. Greene is careful to distance Epstein from Trump, clarifying that “he did nothing wrong.” Instead, Greene criticizes her Republican colleagues for a lack of transparency and siding with the powerful, despite the administration’s culpability in the files not being released. MTG also engages in a similar level of noncommittalness when talking about Israel and Gaza. She applauds Trump for the peace deal while simultaneously questioning the U.S. giving weapons to Israel and criticizing the IDF’s brutality towards Palestinians.
Sane-washing
While a passive listen could leave you finding MTG reasonable, a deeper listen reveals how she has developed as a communicator. Through careful language and a “nice Southern mom” vibe, Greene’s appeal to common sense concerns masks subtle oversimplifications and right-wing ideas that makes her come across as far more rational than she is. Greene couches her position on getting rid of the Affordable Care Act and further restricting immigration in a need for incremental change and “off ramps” and gentle explanations that act as reframes.
Despite making herself palatable, there were ways the MTG we remember shone through. When Dillon critiques Trump appointees at the Department of Justice and FBI, Greene goes from blaming insubordinate Obama and Biden hires to accusing Democrats of filling the departments with communists, DEI hires, and “literally insane trans people.” In a similar fashion, her critique of Congress’ unreasonable support of Israel goes from AIPAC funding to complaining that Congress has passed too many resolutions denouncing anti-semitism when what they should do is denounce violence against white men.
What is most eye-opening about this interview is not that Marjorie Taylor Greene has changed viewpoints, but that she has not. “Make America Great Again” has always claimed to prioritize the real concerns of “average Americans”, and Greene is still beating that drum in her concerns about healthcare premiums, housing affordability, and pushing for transparency. However resonant and palatable, this interview also demonstrated that the slippery slope reasoning of scapegoating (notably trans people, immigrants, and Jewish people) is still strong in this thread of populism. These are the same ideas in a new dressing, which is proving effective not only for conservatives but for disaffected progressives like Tim Dillon who is pushing for Greene to run in 2028 (which she cheekily declines).
Key Takeaways: How should we respond?
Here is what is important in using the common ground that does exist while leaving behind what we don’t want:
We can not be afraid of people coming to the right answers for the wrong reasons. Marjorie Taylor Greene shares many of the concerns of the left, even advocating for prison reform. However, her reasons for doing so, empathizing with January 6th insurrectionists and Geoerge Santos in the case of prison reform, rightfully sets off alarm bells. To make progress in this ecosystem, we need to set aside moral purity and accept allies where we can find them–which means taking the common ground we are being given with MTG and those in her camp.
Build on America First. As many club members mentioned, focusing inwards is typical of times of uncertainty (Roosevelt and the New Deal being an apt example from the left). Americans are struggling to afford basic needs while watching billions of dollars be sent to other countries–and that frustration is shared not only by conservatives, but disaffected Democrats and progressives. There is an opportunity to take that frustration, and rather than turning it into a scapegoating of others, use it to demand government transparency and prioritizing basic needs over benefits to elites.
Make politics easy and relatable again. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s strength in this episode is how it feels like a conversation with your mom at the kitchen table. She uses simple explanations, relies on emotional appeals, and acknowledges gray areas in a way that sounds human. The left can learn from Greene and cultivate compassionate messengers who sound human and rely on pre-existing relationships and credibility while making our positionally obvious.
What UNASB Members are Listening to
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