Thread by @Teri_Kanefield

It’s sadopopulism.

@TimothyDSnyder explains: enact policies that hurt your supporters. Identify an enemy. Blame the pain on the enemies.

You can’t be a grievance party if people are not grieving.

They’re already blaming immigrants and “others” for the virus.

Also mass deaths will wreck the economy, which can then be blamed on Biden because he’s president.

I wonder if people like @GregAbbott_TX and @GovRonDeSantis think of the deaths as noble soldiers dying in the war against encroaching liberal democracy. Gotta lose a few soldiers.

Here you go. Exhibit A:

I think it'll backfire (but future predictions are always hard).


I think was a major miscalculation.

At first, it seemed like good grounds for a cultural war.

Then the Delta variant hit—but the true crazies can't back out because, well, they're crazy.

Also, they don’t have many other tools in their toolbox.

Would-be oligarchs can’t enact policies that help people because how will they retain their privileged positions if others can rise up?

All they can do is try to keep people angry at others.

Exhibit B (h/t @blunderalong)⤵️

Exhibit C (h/t @tjdfotographist)

Here's where I learned the word:

Exhibit C

#1: Trump says children shouldn't get the vaccine (even though the Delta variant is sending children to hospitals.)

#2: Trump says people aren't getting the vaccine because they don't trust Biden

#3: Blames Biden for Covid outbreaks (h/t @HC_Richardson's newsletter)

To make sure I was clear: @TimothyDSnyder coined the phrase.

I wrote "explains" in the first Tweet. Yes, he does. He also came up with the concept.