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Worse than that. While the out there wing of the Democratic Party is getting absolutely housed in their primaries and state elections, the Republican Party has

Worse than that. While the out there wing of the Democratic Party is getting absolutely housed in their primaries and state elections, the Republican Party has leaned into the wilder edge of their party (e.g. Cheney being literally kicked out or Cruz saying more children would die if assault weapons were banned). As for identity politics, how can we talk about that without observing the normalization of paramilitary culture on the right? From the ubiquitous thin blue line flags to the 3 %er sheepdog culture, large portions of the right are gearing up for political violence, most of it directed at black people. The Republicans of my youth who stood for good governance, the rule of law, low taxes & strong civic engagement have been replaced at all levels by preppers, populists & grifters. I can understand being disgusted by the racial politics of the anarchy-socialist wing of the left but to take up with the republicans of 2022 over it seems like madness. It’s a lot easier for me to see a “coexist” bumper sticker than a “Hang all traitors, starting with the Democrats” one. But your mileage may vary.

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pen2l 4y ago
The pendulum is swinging wide across the far-stretched expanses of the Overton window. The temperature is hot everywhere. There was an older gentleman I used to have conversations with in my teenage years when I was living in the midwest, an ardent NRA-supporter, Vietnam-war vet, an old-school American, good-hearted and sweet and wonderful to talk to, quite open to hearing out my then progressive-views and arguing against it. I met him again after a decade and saw that he was a full-on boisterous Trump supporter, unwavering in his belief that Jan6 was justified. Though it was tragic to see him go off in the deep-end, I could not in good conscience write him off, because I knew him and his history. I would like to believe that even the wave of paramilitary culture can be understood, lest we make a fundamental attribution error. Likewise I wish Rayiner would more often employ the principle of charity: engage not with views of people on Twitter, but with the views of the electorate that got Biden in the white house. My best reading tells me that frustrations, particularly of elderly folks, can be traced in some part to the unfair expectation of them to always be up with the latest revision of a social code prescribed and concocted in a place far removed from their dwellings, and when they're not up on it they're quickly cast aside and sometimes demonized. Of course the slighted will show their anger, of course the left-aside will want to rise again. The temperature is hot, and there isn't a moderating force in sight. Strange times. Worrying times.
pcwalton 4y ago
Pew Research Center says the progressive left are 6% of the public and 12% of Democrats: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/11/09/progressive-left/ https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/11/09/progressive-... This seems about right, given that they couldn't even prevent their DA from being recalled in San Francisco. Progressives really are a small fraction of the Democratic Party. (Compare to "Faith and Flag Conservatives", who make up a significantly larger fraction of the GOP electorate than progressives do for Dems, though still not much.) https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/11/09/faith-and-flag-conservatives/ https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/11/09/faith-and-fl...

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pen2l 4y ago

The pendulum is swinging wide across the far-stretched expanses of the Overton window. The temperature is hot everywhere. There was an older gentleman I used to have conversations with in my teenage years when I was living in the midwest, an ardent NRA-supporter, Vietnam-war vet, an old-school American, good-hearted and sweet and wonderful to talk to, quite open to hearing out my then progressive-views and arguing against it. I met him again after a decade and saw that he was a full-on boisterous Trump supporter, unwavering in his belief that Jan6 was justified. Though it was tragic to see him go off in the deep-end, I could not in good conscience write him off, because I knew him and his history. I would like to believe that even the wave of paramilitary culture can be understood, lest we make a fundamental attribution error. Likewise I wish Rayiner would more often employ the principle of charity: engage not with views of people on Twitter, but with the views of the electorate that got Biden in the white house. My best reading tells me that frustrations, particularly of elderly folks, can be traced in some part to the unfair expectation of them to always be up with the latest revision of a social code prescribed and concocted in a place far removed from their dwellings, and when they're not up on it they're quickly cast aside and sometimes demonized. Of course the slighted will show their anger, of course the left-aside will want to rise again. The temperature is hot, and there isn't a moderating force in sight. Strange times. Worrying times.

pcwalton 4y ago

Pew Research Center says the progressive left are 6% of the public and 12% of Democrats: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/11/09/progressive-left/ https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/11/09/progressive-... This seems about right, given that they couldn't even prevent their DA from being recalled in San Francisco. Progressives really are a small fraction of the Democratic Party. (Compare to "Faith and Flag Conservatives", who make up a significantly larger fraction of the GOP electorate than progressives do for Dems, though still not much.) https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/11/09/faith-and-flag-conservatives/ https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/11/09/faith-and-fl...