A counter-revolutionary zeal and desire for vengeance is what unites Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Christopher Rufo, Nate Hochman, and the rest of today’s Right
Thank you for a clear concise summation of how bad things are and how much worse they may become.
If Trump gets back to the White House and starts to attack his political opponents, would we expect to see concentration camps in the US?
If that sounds alarmist and far fetched, remember that Hitler & Co were democratically elected. When Hindenburg died and Hitler adopted the twin pillars of power, he lost little time in passing laws that outlawed all parties other than the Nazis and set about his opponents in a barbaric manner.
Is there a reason you’re using the word “reconquista” (vs something from U.S. history) without mentioning the Spanish context? If anything, pointing to how Franco, and now Vox, use this language could help, rather than hurt the argument. The Spanish far right uses the term to sell an anachronistic myth of victimhood for itself, and Franco did too.
All these words; and none of them about the billionaires that own and control the right-wing efforts to control everything.
Bob Mercer
Wilbur Ross
Carl Icahn
Diane Hendricks
Charles Koch
Steve Wynn
Paul Singer
Richard Uileihn,
All the things you describe have their source in these people's immense wallets.
It does no good to rebuff the puppets over and over again; one must make the puppeteers so thoroughly, painfully visible that all their shows cannot obscure them and their depredations.
What's amazing to me is how this entire enterprise is based on pure fantasy. No facts to support it. We've got 40% of the country passionately fulminating about things that don't even exist or haven't happened. I don't think this is going to change unless the Republican elected leadership starts telling the truth.
I agree that neither “the right” nor “the left” should be viewed as monolithic. Americans traditionally have been more practical than ideological. Interests and bigotry largely affected our politics. Lately the false idea that “politics is war” poisons all discourse. Politics in fact is the alternative to war.
Thanks for this overview. The success of the "conservative" push is certainly seen in states where the Republican/Trump party controls the government. The deepening divisions of policies between the states is becoming more stark. The overarching question is can a minority party seize control of the whole? Since the various ideological issues you describe here are the smoke screen for the libertarian and dirty energy billionaires desire to break the administrative state, money will back the minority party. Trump is their Hindenburg, and he will burst into self immolation. That, I think, may also deflate the desired counter-revolution. Hot air ships found public disfavor.
I certainly hope Trump will prove to be their Hindenburg.
But we also can't ignore that this is the same playbook the wealthy have used to pit working class people against each other for centuries, except now it's even more well funded, well coordinated, and ubiquitous.
I've been reading "The Sum of Us" the past few days. It's quite remarkable how at nearly every turn in this country, working class whites have been convinced to cut their own noses off to spite the minorities. It's never mattered whether the maligned "others" were Italians, Irish, Asians, Polish, Jews, Hispanics, Black or Brown people, or LGBTQ+ people... there's always a "good reason" (racial/religious animus, a sense of maintaining their relative status benefit, and a zero sum mentality about economics and resources) for the white working class to ally with the Billionaire Libertarians who can't wait for us to have a society that has no safeguards against "he who has the money, makes the rules."
If we could just crack this nut man, we could actually have a golden age in America.
I was thinking of "the Hindenburg" as a metaphor for a level of hubris just inevitably headed for disaster, rather than Hindenburg the person. I believe that was Greg's intent as well.
I am not sure I've ever given much thought to Hindenburg the person, but leave it to a proper historian to cause me to become curious now. :)
+comments
Thank you for a clear concise summation of how bad things are and how much worse they may become.
If Trump gets back to the White House and starts to attack his political opponents, would we expect to see concentration camps in the US?
If that sounds alarmist and far fetched, remember that Hitler & Co were democratically elected. When Hindenburg died and Hitler adopted the twin pillars of power, he lost little time in passing laws that outlawed all parties other than the Nazis and set about his opponents in a barbaric manner.
Wake up America!
Is there a reason you’re using the word “reconquista” (vs something from U.S. history) without mentioning the Spanish context? If anything, pointing to how Franco, and now Vox, use this language could help, rather than hurt the argument. The Spanish far right uses the term to sell an anachronistic myth of victimhood for itself, and Franco did too.
Jeebus. Who hurt these people???
Me. I make fun of them mercilessly on obscure substacks. That seems to be all it takes.
Well knock it off!
But, but...it's what I DO!
Without bad limericks that chide, snide and deride, life itself would be impossible.
All these words; and none of them about the billionaires that own and control the right-wing efforts to control everything.
Bob Mercer
Wilbur Ross
Carl Icahn
Diane Hendricks
Charles Koch
Steve Wynn
Paul Singer
Richard Uileihn,
All the things you describe have their source in these people's immense wallets.
It does no good to rebuff the puppets over and over again; one must make the puppeteers so thoroughly, painfully visible that all their shows cannot obscure them and their depredations.
Thanks Thomas. It is almost if you were reading my mind, or visa versa. https://samray.substack.com/p/what-america-needs-psychologically
The closest historical model akin to the Right’s zeal for unfettered use of government power in this country may be Jim Crow.
That last line brings to mind Jefferson Cowie's new book, Freedom's Dominion. You have probably read it. He would be a great guest on your pod.
What's amazing to me is how this entire enterprise is based on pure fantasy. No facts to support it. We've got 40% of the country passionately fulminating about things that don't even exist or haven't happened. I don't think this is going to change unless the Republican elected leadership starts telling the truth.
I agree that neither “the right” nor “the left” should be viewed as monolithic. Americans traditionally have been more practical than ideological. Interests and bigotry largely affected our politics. Lately the false idea that “politics is war” poisons all discourse. Politics in fact is the alternative to war.
Thanks for this overview. The success of the "conservative" push is certainly seen in states where the Republican/Trump party controls the government. The deepening divisions of policies between the states is becoming more stark. The overarching question is can a minority party seize control of the whole? Since the various ideological issues you describe here are the smoke screen for the libertarian and dirty energy billionaires desire to break the administrative state, money will back the minority party. Trump is their Hindenburg, and he will burst into self immolation. That, I think, may also deflate the desired counter-revolution. Hot air ships found public disfavor.
I certainly hope Trump will prove to be their Hindenburg.
But we also can't ignore that this is the same playbook the wealthy have used to pit working class people against each other for centuries, except now it's even more well funded, well coordinated, and ubiquitous.
I've been reading "The Sum of Us" the past few days. It's quite remarkable how at nearly every turn in this country, working class whites have been convinced to cut their own noses off to spite the minorities. It's never mattered whether the maligned "others" were Italians, Irish, Asians, Polish, Jews, Hispanics, Black or Brown people, or LGBTQ+ people... there's always a "good reason" (racial/religious animus, a sense of maintaining their relative status benefit, and a zero sum mentality about economics and resources) for the white working class to ally with the Billionaire Libertarians who can't wait for us to have a society that has no safeguards against "he who has the money, makes the rules."
If we could just crack this nut man, we could actually have a golden age in America.
Hindenburg (and the cabal around him) made Hitler chancellor. I don’t think that’s a scenario anyone should be hoping for...
I was mixing Hindenburg the man with Hindenburg the gas bag zeppelin that in the 1930s exploded over New Jersey.
I was thinking of "the Hindenburg" as a metaphor for a level of hubris just inevitably headed for disaster, rather than Hindenburg the person. I believe that was Greg's intent as well.
I am not sure I've ever given much thought to Hindenburg the person, but leave it to a proper historian to cause me to become curious now. :)