The panel is arguing about what is great and what is not great about contemporary America. Trump's slogan seems to imply that there was a period when the US was great and then it wasn't. What time-frame did he have in mind?

America always is and never was. Our greatness can be in our beliefs regarding the creation a more perfect Union, the City on a Hill. Our greatness is enmeshed in the notion of the American Dream. And, in the belief that all are created equal. American greatness will never refer to a time - it's part of our mythology, part of our creed, almost religious or spiritual in nature. Our true greatness will only come when we all embrace this notion.

Trump is referring to when the U.S. controlled half of the world's economy and all of the nukes from 1945-1950. And to a lesser extent the decade and a half after that. Then, in the 80s and 90s. During both periods, America had vanquished it's enemies, and had a booming economy. Two things Trump and his base love.

In reality, America is now the best it has ever been, but the chunk of power and prestige America has now relative to all the other countries is half of what it was, and declining. That's what's concerning most Americans.

When Trump talks about Making America Great Again my guess is that he’s talking about the 1980s. In Donald Trump’s mind that was a good time for both America and Donald Trump.

Speaking as a Canadian with many US ties, MAGA appears to be a direct cultural attack on destructive Neo-Marxist American self loathing.