that the Internet has wrought.
These used to be fringe groups. When I was a kid 50 or so years ago, I was aware of shadowy KKK around and the John Birchers, etc.. There were also conspiracy nuts and, in fact, one of them was a college professor I had. These conspiracy theorists of that time railed against the Bilderbergers and the Council on Foreign Relations, claiming it was all about destroying America in favor of a "one world government." Of course, in the late 60s and early seventies, there was a very small segment that were active in these groups, held together through meetings and largely underground tracts. There was obviously a large proportion of the white population that, while they may not have been active in these movements, they clearly were sympathetic to the racism--read white nationalism--that underscored the groups' world views. The abortion fight that has evolved since that time brought the already sympathetic evangelical movement allied solidly on the side of this racist fringe.
The explosion of the Internet has provided a mechanism for the fringe to recruit, cross pollinate and somewhat unify around a shared hatred for "others," and "liberals." Unfortunately, the emergence of tRump and his catering to those growing groups had brought the deplorables into the main stream. Even if these deplorables make up half or less of what is currently the GOP electorate, most of the other repugs go along with them for three reasons: Under tRump they have been able to achieve or at least make progress toward some long standing GOP goals; Despite their public denials, the right remains sympathetic to the white nationalism and the systemic discrimination against all "others."; and finally, they hate "the libs" and even center-left progressivism almost as much as the deplorables do.
I'm not sure it matters greatly if these formerly-fringe-but-now-mainstream-right-wingers get pushed underground because the same internet (and even the dark web) that has fueled their growth provides the mechanisms to keep track of them.
But just as it was many decades ago when these deplorables were a small lunatic fringe, we must deal with the right's sympathies with the racist white nationalists and continue to weed out the systemic policies that accelerated under 45. But now these forces are larger and better organized... with more friends in high places.
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