In 2020-21, the smarter Repugnicans looked at the BLM protests and were scared half out of their Klan robes. (I know, in the age of the Trump Limbo Party, smart Republicans, like Congressional ethics, is a bit of an oxymoron, but there are many with a sort of low cunning, and there are still a few relatively innocuous Eisenhower-era types around.) The protests were almost entirely peaceful. They were nationwide. They were almost universally supported by young people. They attracted many millions of folks from every station, race, age, religion, ethnicity, social class, occupation, etc, including suburban white Moms in yellow T-shirts. Millions of people called for change, real change, for a freaking change.

And the Repugnicans predictably felt that they had to do something to start turning back the clock to a “whiter is righter” time. What’s a ruling class white supremacist to do when people start becoming…