Notices by Thomas Zimmer (tzimmer_history@mastodon.social), page 10

It is bizarre to view today’s Republican Party as an ally to Jewish life and culture in America: It is now entirely “normal” for leading Republican elected officials to rail against “globalism” and indulge antisemitic conspiracies, rage against “Soros” and all that. 13/

What an absolute disaster that Republicans are still successfully playing their disgustingly cynical game of exploiting fears over antisemitism in order to advance their reactionary crusade – and mainstream institutions keep willfully playing along.
 
I wrote about this a while ago here:

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https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/we-are-falling-apart

Her “friend” Donald Trump subscribes to all the usual antisemitic stereotypes and has long been pushing antisemitic tropes about Jews only liking money, only being loyal to Israel. He has no discernible conception of American Jews as Americans, only as “them” rather than “us.” 4/

After pretending to be really upset about campus antisemitism during the congressional hearings in December, Stefanik ran off to meet “her friend,” the leader of a fascistic movement, the guy who is raging against immigrants “poisoning the blood of our country.” 3/

We have reached a truly bizarre place in our political discourse when supposedly serious people want us to believe that the party of Trump, QAnon, and “Great Replacement” is the bulwark against antisemitism in America. 2/

ICYMI: What the Right Plans to Do With Power

All three parts of my series about “Project 2025” are out.

Almost 15,000 words on what these radical plans would do to America and how to explain the Right’s open embrace of state authoritarianism:

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https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/what-makes-project-2025-so-dangerous

In his foreword to the "Project 2025" report, Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts offers his “Promise to America”: It perfectly captures the escalating siege mentality, self-victimization, and grievance-driven lust for revenge that are fueling the Right's plans. 3/

Part 1 focuses on the worldview of the people behind “Project 2025.”
 
They see themselves as noble defenders of “real America” against a totalitarian “woke,” “globalist” assault. “Project 2025” is their declaration of war on multiracial pluralism: 2/
 
https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/project-2025-promises-revenge-oppression

Beyond just dismantling the state, “Project 2025” simultaneously seeks to mobilize and weaponize government in a far-reaching effort to punish and purge “woke” enemies and impose a reactionary white Christian patriarchal order on American society. 6/

On one level, this is a radical program to dismantle the modern state. The Right wants to rob government of any tool that might be used to install boundaries for moneyed interests and help create a fairer, more democratic pluralistic society. 5/

Part 2 offers a detailed dissection of the policy agenda “Project 2025” has produced and the plans to install an army of ideological loyalists.

These people understand they weren’t ready during Trump’s first presidency. In 2025, they will be. 4/
 
https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/what-project-2025-would-do-to-america

“Project 2025” is indicative of a broader realignment on the Right towards an aggressive embrace of state authoritarianism - an emerging “counter-revolutionary” consensus that entails a strikingly open renunciation of the supposed pillars of modern conservative thought. 8/

Part 3 compares “Project 2025” to what other rightwing factions, including Trump himself, are planning, examines how it fits in the history of modern conservatism, and explores the conditions that now make it much more likely for these plans to succeed. 7/

https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/what-makes-project-2025-so-dangerous

With “Project 2025,” rightwing leaders are making it maximally clear they do not accept an egalitarian, pluralistic vision of a society in which the individual’s status is no longer determined by race, gender, religion, and wealth and everyone is to be recognized as equal. 10/

This striking renunciation of the supposed pillars of modern conservative thought manifests most clearly in the open rejection of “small government” principles: Reactionaries don’t fear the authoritarian state, they want to mobilize it against their enemies. 9/

A second Trump presidency could count on a fully Trumpified GOP, a reactionary super-majority on the Supreme Court, and the omnipresent threat of escalating political violence.

Americans may want to resist. But it would be far harder and far more dangerous this time. 12/

The extreme Right was not ready in 2017. They didn’t have any plans or strategies, Trump world didn’t have a clue how government worked, the extremists didn’t have the personnel to bend the state to their will and harness its powers. This will not hinder them the next time. 11/

“Project 2025” would transform America into a much nastier, much more dangerous, much more hostile place for anyone who dares to deviate from the white Christian patriarchal order. Those are the stakes.

Please consider subscribing:

https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/what-makes-project-2025-so-dangerous

What “Project 2025” Would Do to America
 
Re-posting this in light of tonight’s State of the Union, in which Biden is apparently going to draw attention to “Project 2025.” Good! Because in a very real sense, this is what’s on the ballot in November:
 
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https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/what-project-2025-would-do-to-america

Exactly! All this “let the people decide” talk is remarkably backwards. The people decided in November 2020: Trump lost, and attempted an auto-coup in response. That is the sole reason why the insurrection clause came into play at all: January 6 was the anti-democratic part. 1/