by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
Here’s my theory for why Dr. Anthony Fauci is hated so much by the MAGA New Right: the chief reason is he is Trump’s peer age-wise and he has the validation of the liberal media that Trump craves so badly. And because it was difficult for Trump to fire Fauci, the more he refused to tow the MAGA line about what to do about COVID19, the more the frustration with him within MAGA New Right circles grew.
So, by this point, Republicans’ hatred of Fauci is so white hot that you would think he was the literal devil. He has come to represent everything they hate in American society and nothing will stop them from trying to destroy him with everything tool they have.
Which brings up a very dark situation — the man is in his 80s, and he’s going to retire simply because he’s old sooner rather than later. And given the bloodlust the MAGA New Right has about him on a personal level, I just don’t see the process of finding his replacement going very smoothly.
In fact, in the end, either the position will go unfilled or it will stay vacant until a re-elected Trump (or similar would-be autocrat) can fill the position with a toady who will kowtow to MAGA New Right ideology.
Or, put another way, the whole fight over Fauci is going to become pretty moot one way or another a lot sooner than you might think. Either he retires and the position is left open until MAGA New Right replaces him with an idiot, or we have a civil war, the Blues States win and one of the gradual things that will happen as our war-torn country returns to normal will be replacing Fauci with someone of equal ability, experience and skill.
Anyway, in general we’re fucked. Good luck.
