Ding ding ding ding ding! We have a winner. Well played. "Tea Party" was never a real thing. It was the "escape hatch", or, if you prefer, the "lifeboat", as Driftglass and BlueGal of the indispensable Pro Left Podcast @proleftpodcast.bsky.social would refer to it.
The astroturf was created in advance, because the Republicans KNEW they were going to do wildly unpopular things. With the willing collaboration of the media (not just Fox and fiends), they established the "existence" of this group.
Then, when everything went to 💩, as they KNEW it would, the Republicans could point to "those guys" as the culprits and evade accountability. Now, for "extra credit", can you see why this has been particularly aggravating me lately?
I am expecting in a few years we will be hearing "Oh, I was never part of that MAGA nonsense. I'm just an old fashioned conservative Republican that loves America!"
Hey, I know (as in read) those two :) Funny how often they run that trick (see Moms for Liberty, often run by county level GOP officials, for a recent example)
EXACTLY! Thank you. I was beginning to think I was taking "crazy pills". Rip off that Scooby villain mask, and it's ALWAYS Republicans. I'm in my mid-60s, & (in the context of my life) it's always BEEN Republicans. And, if we can't stop them this time, it'll ALWAYS BE Republicans. 🤬
So now, a "bonus round". In light of our conversation, what is "MAGA"?
I'll go with my previous answer, another cover, but it seems you are after more... bsky.app/profile/sata...
More? That's just 'cause I'm verbose. 😳 Really, you nailed it. We're seeing that whole process unfolding again, and I, for one, am not having it. THEY CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH IT! "MAGA" is just a stupid marketing phrase dreamed up by Trump.
Name and shame the real culprits: THE REAL PROBLEM IS REPUBLICANS. ALWAYS. Hearing so many ostensibly well-meaning people call them "MAGA", rather than by their real name, has been driving me nuts! 🤯🤬 Thanks for helping me get this off my chest. I'm sure I'll be ranting about it more, anyway. 🤬
My pleasure and I'll be here for it