What are we to make of the unflinching support of Republican leaders for Herschel Walker? To a one they lined up behind him in the wake of news that Walker, who is the party’s Senate candidate in Geogia, paid for an abortion for his former wife. Nearly all of the many critics of the GOP say that it is one more example of its overweening desire to regain control of Congress in the coming elections. In this interpretation, the practical desire for power – to win at any cost – eclipses everything else.

That’s one way to look at it. But there’s another way to understand their reflexive support for Walker – and it isn’t at war with the first explanation. It is this: a deep patriarchy in all of its ugliness was a core feature of right wing extremist and fascist movements in the 20th century and the present day Republican Party (and MAGA movement) are a continuation of this phenomenon.

I’ve never been a fan of Mitch McConnell. But Trump’s political and racist attack on McConnell and Elaine Chao, his wife and former Secretary of Transportation, should be roundly condemned. It puts their lives in jeoporady, while giving a fresh boost to the growning trend to make deadly violence a legitmate method of struggle and racism an acceptable mode of discourse in our political culture.

Republicans, almost to a one, are silent in the face this escalating violence and racist rhetoric. Some, in fact, have no problem with either; they see a place for both in advancing their agenda. Other Republicans who might object cower to Trump, who is the main perpertrator and legitimizer of this dangerous turn in our political discourse. It should be obvious that this ratcheting up of violence and racism by Trump and Trumpists should be vigorously opposed at the ballot box this November as well as in the public square. Much depends on it.

In thinking about the escalation of violent and racist rhetoric, one should keep in mind that the latter fuels the former. Trump understands and exploits this dynamic at every opportunity. Wasn’t this evident last week when he attacked Mitch McConnell and Elaine Chao, calling her, “The China Loving Wife, Coco Chow?”

The categories/concepts of class and class struggle can be interpreted in the the most narrow, sectarian way and then deployed accordingly. Of late, I notice this phenomenon here and there. But thankfully most political and social activists aren’t going down that daft rabbit hole!

In some strains of Marxism years ago (maybe now too?) “the rule of law” was considered no more than a constitutive element of the capitalist political superstructure. Its function was solely to legitimize as well as conceal capitalist rule and exploitation. That claim, as I see it, was one sided, undialectical, and unhistorical then and remains so now. In the current struggle against Trump and the larger MAGA movement, the defense and application of the rule of law is an integral part of the struggle of the broad based, diverse coalition battling for the preservation and deepening of democracy and democratic rule.