Thomas ZimmerFeb 20, 2023

Rightwing extremists advocating for the dissolution of the country is neither new nor surprising.

The fact that such extremists have risen to the center of conservative politics and continue to be elevated within the Republican Party, however, is indicative of an acute threat.

Show threadThomas ZimmerFeb 20, 2023
It really says a lot about how far the Republican Party has radicalized to the right that we all know this stuff will neither have any personal consequences for Marjorie Taylor Greene nor be forcefully condemned by any of her Republican colleagues. That’s just where we are.
Show threadThomas ZimmerFeb 20, 2023

I certainly get the urge to dismiss and ignore Marjorie Taylor Greene. But it won’t work. She is an elected official in good standing with the rest of her party, in a position of influence, fully intent on using her power. Her extremism is increasingly that of the Republican Party itself.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/apr/13/extremists-like-marjorie-taylor-greene-are-the-future-of-the-republican-party

Extremists like Marjorie Taylor Greene are the future of the Republican party

It’s impossible to understand American politics without grappling in earnest with why Greene’s extremism is widely seen as justified on the right

The Guardian
Show threadThomas ZimmerFeb 20, 2023
And as much as I get the temptation to say: Go ahead! Go do your own reactionary thing! - That’s just not how America’s political geography works. The “blue states vs. red states” narrative too often obscures what is primarily an urban vs. rural divide.
Show threadThomas ZimmerFeb 20, 2023
“Well, they’ll have to vote with their feet and move!” I’m sure a lot of young people, especially, will do exactly that. But it leaves those behind who aren’t able to uproot their entire existence – often precisely the people who will suffer most from white reactionary politics.
Show threadSpicewalla

@tzimmer_history

Convincing D voters to move out of red states is even one of their stated goals.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article262849238.html

Feb 20, 2023 at 6:40pmWeb
Show threadKee HinckleyFeb 20, 2023

@Spicewalla @tzimmer_history that only works if they continue to suppress the Black vote. Otherwise they don’t have a majority even in red states.

Which is also why I disagree that this is rural vs. urban. It’s far more about race. It’s just easier to use racism to scare rural whites than urban whites.

Show threadThomas ZimmerFeb 20, 2023
@nazgul @Spicewalla “It’s not rural vs urban, it’s about race” assumes those are somehow mutually exclusive when, actually, they are closely intertwined. Tons of great research on the reasons behind the urban vs rural divide. I’d strongly suggest staying away from simplifying “I think it’s this… I believe it’s that…” arguments. Not a matter of opinion. Again, tons of empirical evidence.
Show threadKee HinckleyFeb 20, 2023
@tzimmer_history Agreed. I was oversimplifying and not well. I was responding to “primarily an urban vs. rural divide” which made it sound to me like you weren’t factoring race into it at all, which probably was not your internet. In any case, it’s far more complicated than short posts are going to capture.
Show threadLassielmrFeb 20, 2023
@Spicewalla @tzimmer_history surely anyone with the means to do that are already considering their options.