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Timothy Burke's avatar

I think basically you've got the heart of it. All of these guys are trying to avoid the obvious move in this case, which is to either re-register as Democrats for the time being or to form a third party. They know that either move puts them on the fringes of political power for the foreseeable future, so what they're really hoping is that somehow, some way, Trump's GOP gets absolutely destroyed at the ballot box and they can step in to steer it back to slightly constrained demogoguery instead. But 2020 was a clear demonstration that if you play with populist ressentiment and fascist themes while thinking you're holding the reins, you end up awakening something you can't control.

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Charles Gonzalez's avatar

Just discovered this writer and am willing to give her a a good extended read. I read the entire Kagan piece and associated commentary on mainstream and conservative outlets. The “Junkie”s take on it is predictable given her alcove at the New School but engaging at the least. I disagree with several aspects of her analysis and historical interpretations. As well her flat out generalizations of the Republican Party and American history in general. The economic analysis is classic progressive and would find warm embrace in various zip codes of Manhattan and Brooklyn. But I do appreciate the effort to analyze and respond to Kagan who is doing the nation a public service warning us to the risk that we are facing. That this escapes the writer is just part of my problem with the piece.

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