Leo Sadovy: Bannon’s plan of fear

Whether or not Trump’s Muslim ban stops a single terrorist attack is immaterial. Steve Bannon is executing a well-thought-out operation of fear and white nationalism.

Rural whites who will never encounter a Syrian refugee if they lived to be a hundred get it from both sides: First they are terrorized by what they see and hear on FOX and right-wing radio – utter conspiratorial nonsense about refugee children embedded into public schools as sleeper suicide bombers and such. Those fears are then confirmed when they assume that reports of Muslims – Muslim American citizens – affected by these travel bans must mean that those people are terrorists.

1930s Germany did not become what it did overnight – the people who committed the Holocaust were led step-by-step over nearly a decade to the final solution. But with a playbook ready-to-hand, Bannon can move the process along much faster this time. He already knows what works best and has the complete acquiescence of a spineless, cowardly and morally bankrupt Congressional majority.

When history starts making comparisons between 1930s Germany and early 21st century America, it will be the Republican Party in the role of Chamberlain at Munich this time.

This story was originally published February 10, 2017 at 7:55 PM with the headline "Leo Sadovy: Bannon’s plan of fear."