As obvious as the overt white supremacy/fascist politics of the Trump admin is, let's not forget...

[wryter2000]

10. And go back just a tiny bit farther

George Wallace made right wingery, complete with racism, a popular craze in the mid to late 60's. He was the darling of the college speakers circuit. I remember being a freshman at Syracuse U when some friends came up and enthusiastically asked if I wanted to hear him speak. "Hell no, he's a racist pig. Have you forgotten?" was my answer. Apparently, they had forgotten.

There's an interesting book about all that called The Politics of Rage. I really believe that was what told wingnuts they could openly go for the racist vote.

Reagan, on the other hand, made up the idea of "cruel joke" appointments by naming people to head an agency who were openly hostile to the goals of said agency. He, also, is responsible for the deviation from truth and science that makes modern right wingery possible.

Yes, Nixon created the southern strategy, but things got into full swing under Reagan.