Jon Stewart's last monologue as host of the Daily Show touched on this, and I never really tweaked on this until he said it, but I've noticed it a lot since then. It's certainly made me a lot more cynical when I see organizations or companies use those types of words in their names.
Shorter Trump on the Russian train In 2015, Ron DeSantis attacked Obama for not giving enough weapons to Ukraine.In 2018, DeSantis received $50,000 from Russian oligarch Andrei Muraviev.In 2022, DeSantis’ top spokeswoman belatedly registered as a foreign agent.Now, he’s siding with Russia against Ukraine.— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) March 14, 2023
The Londongrad podcast is so interesting on this front And Bill Browder's book. The influence is bought and paid for
It is not amazing if you consider your statement: "...serious alternative to Trump." It is easy to be a serious alternative to one of the least serious persons on earth. DeSantis is an actual governor of one of the largest states in the nation. He has a despotic grip on that state. There is no way he would NOT be a serious alternative to Trump. The fact that DeSantis is a fool and a deeply unserious person is not relevant to the discussion of whether he is a serious alternative. Sad, but true. Calling him "Rhonda" does not help.
He’s, in reality the only one. So another round of Trumps bullshitting lies to get his MAGAHAT denier’s in full cry.
Yup--the GOP is now split between a base that wants a demented, full-throated fascist, vs. a tone-obsessed cohort who want a moderately competent authoritarian.
The man just got smacked down by Marco Rubio of all people for his Russia/Ukraine comments. And there's articles slowly coming out that maybe this guy isn't all that. And again, he's too weird and offputting.
The important thing is they've all learned their lesson from the January 6 insurrection and how the main players have been seriously punished, just as banking execs learned their lesson from the global financial crisis.
Looking back at this Simpsons episode, the writers really were spot on concerning American politics, the media and the Republican party
I suspect that one thing about Buttigieg that really riles the right isn't just that he's openly gay, but that he's very, very comfortable in his own skin. They can't imagine being a somewhat physically slight AND openly gay man who's at peace with himself. Their deep-seated insecurities are threatened by his LACK of obvious insecurities. I think the point is that DeSantis, in person, doesn't live up to the hype. Trump is a vulgar loudmouth, but he kinda/sorta knows how to work a room.
Agreed about Buttigieg. The fact that he is gay, but in a very stable, loving marriage, with children, are Christian, and both spouses are employed, stable and incredibly normal, must drive the right wing f*cking crazy. Agreed, but which is better and which is worse? A vulgar loudmouth who doesn't "live up to the hype" or a vulgar loudmouth is nothing but hype?
And a Christian. That is what really irks them - a gay man who is a Christian and knows the Bible well enough he can call them out on their hypocrisy and lies. Their homophobia is based on the premise you cannot be gay and Christian, that God hates gays. edit: xtomx beat me to it
It's even simpler. To them someone who is gay and short is supposed to be bullyable and the fact that he isn't slightly intimidated makes them crazier.
Their christianity is their justification for their hate not their reason. Very few care about his christianity or even acknowledge it. This would only be the 3 times a week bible study group ones.
They can't publicly acknowledge it, that's the point. If they do, then they lose by having the conversation focus on whether you can be gay and Christian. (And here's a hint, the Bible doesn't actually condemn homosexuality, generally speaking, and doesn't actually condemn male homosexuality for the reasons people think - it's a purity violation, not inherently immoral similar to having sex with a menstruating woman - they go to great lengths to avoid those conversations). In the same way they can't focus on his military career. Such topics must be avoided at all costs or they will be portraying a gay person as a morally upright individual who contributes positively to society. That would undermine decades, centuries and more than a millenium of conservative hatred against gays.
For most "Christians" though it is not important in that their Christianity is more akin to an identity or an ethnic label than an actual religious practice. They are one day a week Christians.
Yup--that's a much more concise and accurate way of putting it. I've said it before about Trump supporters, but I think it applies more generally to supporters of "Trumpism"--the unique form of contemporary American right-wing populism--they are people who peaked in high school. Being a bully in HS, or at least being acquiescent in bullying, was a formative experience for a lot of these people. They have no interest in outgrowing it. Hard to say, but I was only talking in terms of electability. A DeSantis Presidency could potentially be even worse than a second Trump term; I'm merely arguing that it's less likely to happen in the first place.
Not for the conservative evangelical Christians who are the driving force of Trumpism. They have spent a lot of pages (printed and internet) on how you cannot be gay and Christian. This topic is very important to them because if someone can be gay and Christian, their understanding of the Bible and Christianity collapses. This is something I have a lot of personal experience with and direct knowledge on.
I think you exaggerate the influence of conservative evangelicals. Americans didn't need conservative evangelicalism for Trumpism to emerge, Trumpism is endemic across American politics just previously under different names.