@tzimmer_history@mastodon.social
2026-04-29 13:49 UTC
In that sense, there is a fairly direct path from William F. Buckley, the godfather of Modern Conservatism, to Rufo. Not the mythological Buckley who purged the extremists – but the real historical figure who deemed the demagogues useful and the extremist energies indispensable.
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@tzimmer_history@mastodon.social 2026-04-29 13:50
But the self-anointed intellectual vanguard was never in charge. Because the movement they are “leading” is not fueled by ideas. It is animated by grievance towards a changing society, by a desire to restore dominance in a world they believe owes them admiration and deference.