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Ron Paul and Rand Paul identify as libertarians and are as close to libertarian as the (R) party gets. Ron Paul has the added benefit of having wacky neo-nazi r

Ron Paul and Rand Paul identify as libertarians and are as close to libertarian as the (R) party gets. Ron Paul has the added benefit of having wacky neo-nazi roots that he disavowed during the Clinton era. They loathe any sort of government investment. McCain is the only real conservative mentioned here. The alt-right has their true god (Bannon) and their lesser god (Trump). Trump loathes conservatives, and conservatives mostly loathe him, but they need each other (for the moment). McCain has traditionally been a huge backer of Mueller, and is openly looking to take Trump down. Both sides have seen ideological purges, and the "blue dog democrats" and "Rockefeller republicans" were purged over the last twenty years. The last real moderate was probably Boehner, and the combination of the Tea Party, and aborted "great compromises" by Obama did him in. The former Senate Majority leader claimed to be a pro-life (personally) Democrat from Vegas, but increasingly abandoned this as his party lurched to the left, and was replaced by a corporatist Democrat with deep deep links to investment banks (Schumer). Biden is still out there as a moderate Democrat, but was completely marginalized in party politics when his great compromise efforts with Boehner were torpedo'd by more activist portions of Obama's cabinet. (No one has ever taken credit for actually convincing Obama to ask for additional trillions in tax-raises last minute both times). I think Biden is just about the only candidate who could have won against Trump in the last election. The so-called "Neo-cons" (their original name was "Vulcans") were not neocons because they were reformed conservatives, but rather former Wilsonians who turned more Jacksonian over time. As for Musk, Shelby and Ryan, more then anything else, they are opportunists. There is a very similar fracturing and disintegration on the left right now, with the AntiFa, the move on crowd and so called progressives all purging those who disagree with them. Then you have much much more radical elements in the colleges and universities. The French Revolution comparisons are not without merit.

orblivion 9y ago
The "god" of the alt-right is Richard Spencer. Granted the definition of alt-right has shifted around, but by the current prevailing standard among those who adopt the label and used to do so, I think it is strictly an ethnonationalist movement. Unless you're going to cite rumors about Bannon, I'd say Breitbart doesn't quite qualify. Again, forgetting anything Bannon once said about it being the platform of the alt-right, and going by current running definitions. Breitbart would probably be considered "alt-light".
- InTheArena 9y ago
  Honestly, I can see that being the perception, but frankly, I put a lot more people into the alt-right category. In this case, Richard Spencer is the alt-right of the alt-right. The vast majority of Trump voters have or had no clue who he was. Spencer gains from Trump, and encourages everything he can to move to the right, and is gains the most from notoriety that the media gives him in connection to Trump.
  - orblivion 9y ago
    I'll agree with you that there is one major momentum of anti-left backlash. It ranges from disaffected liberals like Dave Rubin to ethno nationalists like Richard Spencer. I also agree that the alt-right is sort of the anchor, and in a way sets the tone of the whole thing. The thing I disagree with is being too fuzzy about where you draw lines when it comes to particular stances. In a way it's their own damn fault for flirting with the alt-right earlier on, but the alt-light are not ethno-nationalists. I think that is important because people dismiss them for the wrong reasons. (Not to mention people like Ben Shapiro who were wise enough never to flirt with them, but who get pulled into the alt-right label anyway. All the while ironically getting harassed by the alt-right online.)
    - InTheArena 9y ago
      This is just because of the large volume of people who don't really understand that people who disagree with them are not a unified logical block, and they label all such people "conservative" and hate on them equally.
- bbctol 9y ago
  No one cares about Richard Spencer other than media figures who needed a dude in a suit to claim to be the leader of the alt-right. He's a random non-entity that was virtually unknown even in cryptofascist circles until liberals decided, for no good reason, to start paying attention to him.
  - 9y ago

orblivion 9y ago

The "god" of the alt-right is Richard Spencer. Granted the definition of alt-right has shifted around, but by the current prevailing standard among those who adopt the label and used to do so, I think it is strictly an ethnonationalist movement. Unless you're going to cite rumors about Bannon, I'd say Breitbart doesn't quite qualify. Again, forgetting anything Bannon once said about it being the platform of the alt-right, and going by current running definitions. Breitbart would probably be considered "alt-light".

InTheArena 9y ago
Honestly, I can see that being the perception, but frankly, I put a lot more people into the alt-right category. In this case, Richard Spencer is the alt-right of the alt-right. The vast majority of Trump voters have or had no clue who he was. Spencer gains from Trump, and encourages everything he can to move to the right, and is gains the most from notoriety that the media gives him in connection to Trump.
- orblivion 9y ago
  I'll agree with you that there is one major momentum of anti-left backlash. It ranges from disaffected liberals like Dave Rubin to ethno nationalists like Richard Spencer. I also agree that the alt-right is sort of the anchor, and in a way sets the tone of the whole thing. The thing I disagree with is being too fuzzy about where you draw lines when it comes to particular stances. In a way it's their own damn fault for flirting with the alt-right earlier on, but the alt-light are not ethno-nationalists. I think that is important because people dismiss them for the wrong reasons. (Not to mention people like Ben Shapiro who were wise enough never to flirt with them, but who get pulled into the alt-right label anyway. All the while ironically getting harassed by the alt-right online.)
  - InTheArena 9y ago
    This is just because of the large volume of people who don't really understand that people who disagree with them are not a unified logical block, and they label all such people "conservative" and hate on them equally.
bbctol 9y ago
No one cares about Richard Spencer other than media figures who needed a dude in a suit to claim to be the leader of the alt-right. He's a random non-entity that was virtually unknown even in cryptofascist circles until liberals decided, for no good reason, to start paying attention to him.
- 9y ago