ACU Chair Matt Schlapp raised eyebrows ahead of CPAC 2022 when he essentially disavowed part of the conference name, saying “we’re no longer conservatives” just before announcing they’d booked Democrat Tulsi Gabbard to speak. But one of his biggest name speakers contradicted that claim from the stage of CPAC on Saturday.
Mark Levin emphasized that it’s the Conservative Political Action Conference, “not populist, not nationalist.” And he went further than that, even, blasting populism as essentially a different brand of Marxism that cuts God out of the picture.
Populism is a major ideological force and nationalist a popular term in the GOP — or at least in how Donald Trump voters self-identify within the party — and defenses of both ideological points of view are commonplace on right-wing websites, in podcasts, and on social media.
But when longtime conservative talk show host, pundit, and author Levin pushed back on the idea forcefully in remarks from the CPAC stage, he heard plenty of cheering, not boos, from the CPAC crowd.
“I just want to say: CPAC. It’s called the Conservative Political Action Committee. Not the McGovern political action committee,” said Levin. “Conservative political action committee, not populist political action committee, not nationalist political action committee.”
The audience was iffy at first but as he continued the crowd came around. Levin argued that “populism is progressivism,” and “progressivism is American Marxism.” He
“Your declaration of Independence is not about populism, and it’s not about nationalism, it’s about Americanism,” he said. “Americanism is unique. It’s about unalienable rights, given by whom? The voters? Given by a majority of voters? Give by God almighty!”
This nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. It wasn’t founded on mob rule and the majority wins all the time. What if the majority votes to disarm you? What if the majority votes to take your property away? What if the majority votes the Bill of Rights out of the Constitution? No, this isn’t about populism. Populism is progressivism. Progressivism is American Marxism. That’s the way it is.I’m not opposed to voting, for God sakes. But look at your constitution. Where’s the direct election occur? House of Representatives. The original Constitution? That was it. The bicameral Congress, the other branch was chosen by the state legislatures. the president and vice president are chosen by the Electoral College. The judges have life planned appointments. Why? Because they feared the mob and they feared the Iron Fist of Central Power. They feared both. Which is why your Declaration of Independence talks about unalienable rights, which is why Alexis de Tocqueville talked about the circle of liberty that surrounds each and every one of you. That no government, whether it’s a
democracy or an autocracy, has the right to touch. Period. We believe in many respects an individual sovereignty. So it’s very important not to be pulled into this propaganda.
“We love America because it’s America, not because we’re nationalists,” said Levin. “I mean, the Russians are nationalists. The Chinese are nationalists. America First is about Americanism, first.”
“This is part of the problem. We move more and more towards mob-ocracy – populism – on one side and autocracy – nationalism – on the other side. Why don’t we embrace Americanism and Constitutionalism and individualism like our Framers did?” Levin concluded.
Watch the clip above, via CPAC and Right Side Broadcasting Network.