#1473 How the GOP Became a Radicalized Strongman Cult

Air Date 3/2/2022

Today we take a look at the not-so-slow transformation of Republicans from a Bush/McCain/Romney party to a Trump/DeSantis/Putin party complete with cultish devotion and a dependence on a near-total dismissal of truth replaced by propaganda.

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Transcript

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Trump Victim Act Follows Authoritarian Playbook Drawing In Fanatical Supporters - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 1-8-22

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, professor of history at NYU and author of "Strongmen," talks about right-wing assault on democracy in the United States and familiar patterns between the Trump movement and other authoritarian movements around the world an in history.

Ch. 2: Legitimate Political Discourse - Political Gabfest - Air Date 2-10-22

The GOP embrace of Jan. 6 rioters

Ch. 3: The NYT’s Jeremy Peters on How the GOP Went Batshit Crazy - The Al Franken Podcast - Air Date 2-27-22

Explaining the seeming anomaly of Trump in the line of Republican presidential nominees

Ch. 4: Republicans in complete disarray - The Bradcast w/ Brad Friedman - Air Date 2-7-22

Trump's Republican National Committee labeled the violent, deadly Capitol Insurrection 'legitimate political discourse, and censured conservative Rep. Liz Cheney and Rep. Adam Kinzinger for participating in the bipartisan House Jan. 6 Select Committee.

Ch. 5: Rick Scott: The Man With The Plan? - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 2-23-22

What does the Republican Party really stand for — besides attacking liberals? One Republican senator is giving a masterclass in his plan to save America. David Jolly joins to discuss.

Ch. 6: How Vladimir Putin won Republicans' approval - Vox - Air Date 1-13-17

He's an authoritarian strongman, and he's never been more popular with GOP voters.

Ch. 7: Wagner: Some Republicans Are Uniting Against Biden And Siding With Putin - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-23-22

Alex Wagner: “The shocking thing is when these Republicans look at Russia—its repression and flouting of democratic norms and restriction of essential freedom—when they look at all that they may not see a cautionary tale, but an aspirational one.”

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 8: How Jan 6th Changed Extremism - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-5-22

Brandy Zadrozny talks about the landscape of extremism since January 6th and her new investigation that finds some militia and white supremacist groups have shifted tactics, going from protesting to putting energy into local politics and school boards.

Ch. 9: The America We Deserve - In The Thick - Air Date 2-8-22

They get into the latest on the January 6th insurrection, and the connection between voter suppression and anti-Black racism.

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 10: Final comments on sheep-dogging, coalition governments and power dynamics

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):

• Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
• Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
• Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world)
• Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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