I think it is a mix. Some of the people you mention might have first heard about this nonsense from some bad actor (fascists posing as liberals) who was spreading lies, and now they are taking up the mantel for real.
When it all comes down to it, the regular Left (not the extreme “liberal guilt” idiots) do an awful job at getting their point across to middle America. They do a terrible job at communicating with average Joes. They don’t understand how to connect with real people. They do such a bad job at it, that they actively push away people who should be welcomed to their fold.
On the flip side, Republicans have done an amazing job at painting themselves as “real Americans” and have commandeered the blue collar, hardworking, cowboy, freedom-loving image all while their number one lord emperor is a billionaire from the bluest of states who shits in a gold plated toilet and wants to over-rule democracy. It is a master-class in marketing and image.
I think it is a mix. Some of the people you mention might have first heard about this nonsense from some bad actor (fascists posing as liberals) who was spreading lies, and now they are taking up the mantel for real.
When it all comes down to it, the regular Left (not the extreme “liberal guilt” idiots) do an awful job at getting their point across to middle America. They do a terrible job at communicating with average Joes. They don’t understand how to connect with real people. They do such a bad job at it, that they actively push away people who should be welcomed to their fold.
On the flip side, Republicans have done an amazing job at painting themselves as “real Americans” and have commandeered the blue collar, hardworking, cowboy, freedom-loving image all while their number one lord emperor is a billionaire from the bluest of states who shits in a gold plated toilet and wants to over-rule democracy. It is a master-class in marketing and image.