Jon Chait points out something that's really painfully obvious to an even casual observer of the American Reich Right. When Democrats praise American values like decency, democracy, the rule of law and fair play, the Right sees it as an attack on them. Some of this is because they are always and only in attack mode and "every accusation is a confession". The deeper reason is that while Trump literally wraps himself in the flag, like so many flag humpers, he's not interested in the values the flag represents, but rather as a culture war totem. Instead, Trump's basic ethos is foundationally un-American. He has always loved dictators - which is why he kept his family business closely held: no accountability. He has been a lifelong white collar criminal who is famous for stiffing his working class vendors. He is actively rooting for Russia.
What's so disturbing is - as Ron Brownstein points out - that Trump's now complete control over the Republican Party means that all of that nasty, un-American ideology is now deeply imbedded in the heart of one of our two parties.
Back in 2016 I assumed with everyone else that Trump would lose, but I hedged it with "But he is the nominee of one of our two major parties, so..."
Now, eight years later, Trump has succeeded in turning the GOP into an engine of meanness, corruption and, yes, fascism.
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