Thomas ZimmerApr 17, 2023

In a functioning democratic system and healthy political culture, anyone uttering such deranged nonsense would be shunned and ostracized, a party elevating them would not be considered a viable option by anyone but an extremist fringe.
 
The U.S., however, evidently has neither. 1/

https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1646957717519466496?s=46&t=1xecvNVImNo8TKt3oEvqnA

The Recount on Twitter

“Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD), addressing the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum, says her nearly 2-year-old granddaughter “already has a shotgun, and she already has a rifle.””

Twitter
Show threadThomas Zimmer
Whatever the actual circumstances under which Noem’s granddaughter grows up, and whether or not the governor of South Dakota actually thinks toddlers should play around with guns, the key problem is that in the Republican Party, she benefits from saying such things. 2/
Apr 17, 2023 at 3:20pmIvory for iOS
Show threadThomas ZimmerApr 17, 2023
How much of what Noem and other Republican elected officials, who are worshipping at the altar of the gun, are doing is “sincere,” how much is opportunism? The answer is never either/or: It’s both, ideology and opportunism reinforcing each other in specific ways. 3/
Show threadThomas ZimmerApr 17, 2023
Yes, of course, there is a good measure of opportunism involved. Anyone who has any ambition to be/become anything in today’s Republican Party is continually incentivized to come out with ever more radical, reactionary statements and proposals. 4/
Show threadThomas ZimmerApr 17, 2023
It’s an increasingly extremist form of white reactionary identity politics that has completely given up on the idea of playing by majoritarian rules, of attracting a democratic majority – and is instead focused solely on the interests and sensibilities of a shrinking minority. 5/
Show threadThomas ZimmerApr 17, 2023
Don’t mistake this to mean that Republicans are just opportunistically using the chance to prove their “conservative” credentials to the base. It’s worse: A situation of opportunistic incentives aligning precisely with ideological convictions, leading to ever more radicalization. 6/
Show threadThomas ZimmerApr 17, 2023
American democracy is under threat because these radicalizing forces of white reaction are now in charge of the Republican Party – and almost half the country doesn’t consider any of this a dealbreaker and has found ways to rationalize the continued support for this party. 7/
Show threadThomas ZimmerApr 17, 2023

In fact, “doesn’t consider this a dealbreaker” is the most charitable reading possible, considering that we must assume a sizable portion of Republican voters supports the GOP *because*, not in spite of what’s on display here.

How do you sustain democracy under such conditions? /end

Show threadOutOnTheMoorsApr 17, 2023
@tzimmer_history I can only suggest, from my country's experience: an imminent catastrophic economic event, such as the complete meltdown of financial markets, that forces those who bankroll this nonsense for personal profit to abruptly shift course.
Show threadMattApr 17, 2023
@CrazyMyra @tzimmer_history the “burn it all down” types waiting for the revolution seem to always skip over the obvious terrible parts straight to their utopian fantasies
Show threadOutOnTheMoorsApr 17, 2023
@MattFerrel @tzimmer_history Will give you the benefit of the doubt on the good faith nature of your comment.
Apartheid ended when the rich realised that the gold economy, on which modern white South Africa was built, would collapse unless there was urgent political change.
Show threadMattApr 17, 2023
@CrazyMyra @tzimmer_history sorry, should have been more specific. In the United States there were some on the left who welcomed Trump, thinking that if he was destructive enough that people would revolt, burn it all down, and replace with utopia. This idea ignores the already vulnerable people who get hurt in the meantime.
Show threadOutOnTheMoorsApr 17, 2023
@MattFerrel @tzimmer_history True
Show threadRobert DenbyApr 17, 2023

@tzimmer_history

I can think of examples where this sort of event leads to ruin. But are there any examples of a representative government facing this kind of madness and surviving?

I can't think of any. At least, none that didn't go through a significant period of violence and instability to do so.

Franco in Spain comes to mind, but that's not a good example either. For many reasons.

Show threadMattApr 17, 2023
@tzimmer_history