@Jeruba I thought at first you were saying he was peddling Christianity. I don’t think of him as peddling, I think of him as manipulating his people with what they already feel dear, afraid, or energized about. Their faith, mail-in voting, immigration, estate taxes, Socialism, now Goya. Those were all talking points before he made them talking points. Even the no mask wearing I think started before Trump made it a big issue. I think that started in the Libertarian and White Supremacists crowds, and bled over to Republicans and Trump then helped it along.
What’s fascinating is how his followers believe he really cares about these things. I know people who believe he is religious. I have one friend who said he might not have been in the past, but she believes he is now.
You wrote, “...and it really doesn’t make any difference to them if it’s beans or religion they’re pushing…” who is the “they’re” in that sentence?