The rich and powerful, particularly the republican/RW libertarian donor class as epitomized by the Mercers, Peter thiel, the adlesons, the Koch bros etc etc simply don't want to pay taxes anymore & deal with "pesky" regulations which hinder them from complete plunder & ruination of the federal government. They have decided that fascism is the only way to achieve this and the gop is happy to oblige helping them achieve that, the culture War stuff is a both a tool to use & a Sop To the mostly rural evangelical base that is prominent in today's republican party. The swing to putins Russia was born out of part KOMPROMAT, part ideology, they see in putin one of them, as RW paleo con Patrick Buchanan writes so glowingly of VP even tho the reality of putin(he's had his share of mistresses & personal foilbles) as is with Donald Trump,is fabricated & hardly true,but no matter, Trump got elected & gave them the tax cuts & 3scotus seats, partnership with putin in the field of oil and gas + precious minerals etc they believe can be done as well. But in order for that to happen the administrative state must be nulled (bannon) & crippled.
Firstly, I have no problem with Prof. Zimmer's 1200 words and will gladly read multiple parts. The context it provides is increasingly important even for those of us who are not American. The same forces are mobilizing in Europe as well. Meloni in my Italy, Orban in Hungary, Le Pen in France, and so on. The conservatism of WF Buckley is no more. It should be no surprise they are no longer interested in small government, libertarian definitions of 'freedom' or supply side economics because they have all been grand failures. And for the longest time, deeply woven into the political subtext, the unconscious for many, has been this notion of supremacy of their identity - white, Christian, Euro centred. It is that that is finally crumbling and the visceral response are rooted there. Any attachment to small c ideas are tossed in order to save that one last thread of sacrosanct belief. The new 'trailblazing leaders' of the right aren't making 'daring' statements. They are responding to their sharp vicissitudes of fortune in the only way they can - through bigotry, division, pettiness. The invention of 'woke' as a term is itself proof. In their ideal world, people's consciousness would never be raised, white Christians would always dominate, only their voices truly count, and everyone else would accept it even if it had to be imposed. And it is that last part they are now left with. That is what they see as their true glorious purpose. We've seen the results of that.
Please continue writing so we can continue to learn. I spend much of my day reading and have always loved to read. I live in St. Louis county that is one of a few blue islands in MO which constantly causes me great political embarrassment. I grew up here, moved away after college and came back for retirement. I had lived in CT for more than 25 years but this is home. Your writing enables me to put these thoughts into the appropriate words when discussing these issues with others. Thank you.
Thank you for continuing to articulate what’s happening with conservativism. I live in a very right-leaning county of northwest Montana whose anti-democratic mobilizations epitomize a lot of what you’re talking about. It’s hard to watch those with power and influence refuse to take it seriously, so I’m grateful at least someone is paying attention.
Thanks, Dr Zimmer. I'll welcome a Part III *and* a Part IV, as you intimated. Parts of your essay will appear in my graduate thesis this coming Spring. If you would, please essentialize these essays into a full-length book. Many thanks, sir. (From a grateful grad student.)
The rich and powerful, particularly the republican/RW libertarian donor class as epitomized by the Mercers, Peter thiel, the adlesons, the Koch bros etc etc simply don't want to pay taxes anymore & deal with "pesky" regulations which hinder them from complete plunder & ruination of the federal government. They have decided that fascism is the only way to achieve this and the gop is happy to oblige helping them achieve that, the culture War stuff is a both a tool to use & a Sop To the mostly rural evangelical base that is prominent in today's republican party. The swing to putins Russia was born out of part KOMPROMAT, part ideology, they see in putin one of them, as RW paleo con Patrick Buchanan writes so glowingly of VP even tho the reality of putin(he's had his share of mistresses & personal foilbles) as is with Donald Trump,is fabricated & hardly true,but no matter, Trump got elected & gave them the tax cuts & 3scotus seats, partnership with putin in the field of oil and gas + precious minerals etc they believe can be done as well. But in order for that to happen the administrative state must be nulled (bannon) & crippled.
Your work and thought is excellent, necessary and clearly written.
Make America Patient Again.
I would like to see what more you write. Way to track and follow threads of the current moment. Clear when much coverage is not clear.
Firstly, I have no problem with Prof. Zimmer's 1200 words and will gladly read multiple parts. The context it provides is increasingly important even for those of us who are not American. The same forces are mobilizing in Europe as well. Meloni in my Italy, Orban in Hungary, Le Pen in France, and so on. The conservatism of WF Buckley is no more. It should be no surprise they are no longer interested in small government, libertarian definitions of 'freedom' or supply side economics because they have all been grand failures. And for the longest time, deeply woven into the political subtext, the unconscious for many, has been this notion of supremacy of their identity - white, Christian, Euro centred. It is that that is finally crumbling and the visceral response are rooted there. Any attachment to small c ideas are tossed in order to save that one last thread of sacrosanct belief. The new 'trailblazing leaders' of the right aren't making 'daring' statements. They are responding to their sharp vicissitudes of fortune in the only way they can - through bigotry, division, pettiness. The invention of 'woke' as a term is itself proof. In their ideal world, people's consciousness would never be raised, white Christians would always dominate, only their voices truly count, and everyone else would accept it even if it had to be imposed. And it is that last part they are now left with. That is what they see as their true glorious purpose. We've seen the results of that.
Musk Twitter is a big part of this reactionary ideology. My take on this:
Bari Weiss: "Liberals Caused Rushdie Attack." Also Bari: "My Boss Elon just Fatwah-ed Fauci"
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/12/13/2141478/-Bari-Weiss-Liberals-Caused-Rushdie-Attack-Also-Bari-My-Boss-just-Fatwah-ed-Fauci
To see the world clearly is hard even painful but is ultimately a gift.
Please continue writing so we can continue to learn. I spend much of my day reading and have always loved to read. I live in St. Louis county that is one of a few blue islands in MO which constantly causes me great political embarrassment. I grew up here, moved away after college and came back for retirement. I had lived in CT for more than 25 years but this is home. Your writing enables me to put these thoughts into the appropriate words when discussing these issues with others. Thank you.
Thank you for continuing to articulate what’s happening with conservativism. I live in a very right-leaning county of northwest Montana whose anti-democratic mobilizations epitomize a lot of what you’re talking about. It’s hard to watch those with power and influence refuse to take it seriously, so I’m grateful at least someone is paying attention.
It's pretty frightening. I hope one part of this series will focus on ideas for combating this horrifying rise of right wing authoritarianism.
Thanks, Dr Zimmer. I'll welcome a Part III *and* a Part IV, as you intimated. Parts of your essay will appear in my graduate thesis this coming Spring. If you would, please essentialize these essays into a full-length book. Many thanks, sir. (From a grateful grad student.)