A thought about the outrage that is greeting the Administration's use of ICE to terrorize people of color, and their illegal use of National Guard troops to police cities that vote blue: the outrage is the whole point. Once you're outraged - mission accomplished.
There is a significant proportion of right-wing Republicans who need this and only this: overweight, heavily-armed white men in fatigues swaggering through cities they've never been to. That's all they need: show them that on the TV, and they've got the wish-fulfillment fantasy that they need. In their minds, they're on it, striding with their buds, guns ready, chests out, masks on, ready to rumble. At least in their fantasies. In reality, they're slumped on their couches in Middle America, not doing much of anything except complaining about things they don't understand.
They don't care about crime in Chicago or Portland or LA. They don't care about any of the complexities of immigration policy, and they don't care that American citizens are being victimized just because of the color of their skin. They just want to piss off liberals; to show them what it's like to be a real man. They are products of Fox News, country music, the internet, and generations of toxic masculinity, and once those righteous bros start scaring those other people, no more need be done. It's never been about accomplishing anything; it's about showing up. That's all they need.
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