Thread by @tzimmer_history

🚨 New episode of @USDemocracyPod just dropped a day early: Chaos in the House!
 
Also: How can we explain the radicalization of formerly “moderate” Republicans? And finally: What we expect for democracy in 2023. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/9-c…

We are witnessing a historic spectacle in the House. Join us for a deep dive into the Republican inability to elect a speaker: How to explain it, what the fault lines are, why it’s misleading to present the #McCarthy camp as “moderates” and only the rebels as “extremists.”

https://twitter.com/usdemocracypod/status/1611002071196499974

Also: Whatever happened to “moderate” Republicans? We look at the case of Elise Stefanik and reflect on the lure of Trumpism, the relationship between opportunism and ideology, and the personal dynamics of a radicalization that is shifting the GOP ever further to the right.

“The Invention of Elise Stefanik,” the NYT’s portrait of her trajectory towards Trumpism, serves as our starting point for an extended discussion about the pitfalls and apologist implications of a narrative that paints Republicans merely as opportunists and cowards.

Finally, our review of what happened last year, and our expectations for what is to come next: There is a striking sense of optimism among commentators from the left all the way to the center-right who mostly agree that 2022 was a good year for democracy. We are more skeptical.

Please note: We would like to do our first Q+A episode soon, probably towards the end of the month. Drop your questions, whatever they may be, in the replies to this thread, email us, or send me a DM. We are excited to find out what you want us to discuss!

Just a quick clarification: I say in the intro that the episode is coming out on Jan 6, the anniversary of the assault on the Capitol, because Friday is our regular release day. But we later decided to get this out early, because of the House situation; sorry for the confusion!