Just like the tea party that quickly sprouted when Obama was elected, it's astroturf.
Sure, the rubes who vote for Trump and DeSantis and other peddlers of snake oil really do believe the poison they've been fed, but ultimately this "movement" is dominated by the big money interests that own the rightwing media and politicians who manipulate the rubes into voting against their own interests.
Take away the money that funds the rightwing noise machine (pays Tucker Carlson's salary and the campaigns of the "freedom caucus"
and see what happens.
Of course, that's not going to happen anytime soon if ever. The question is whether the big money interests have created a "populist" monster they can't control, and if ultimately a party built on a putrid swamp of lies and grievance will sink in its own fetid muck.
Because, as was noted, previous populist movements had legitimate complaints about social and economic justice -- not lies about a stolen election and appeals to racial/religious/gender bigotry.
Edit history
Recommendations
0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):
= new reply since forum marked as read