Crash Course: Right-wing switchback: Now “national conservatives” want to claim Ukraine

From the first day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic have been placed in an uneasy position. Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpiSz6tVmJHwtmJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Volodymyr-Zelenskyy] Ukrainian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Right-wing switchback: Now “national conservatives” want to claim Ukraine From the first day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic have been placed in an uneasy position. For more than two decades, right-wing activists and politicians have praised Russia as the unlikely wellspring of renewed traditionalism, as Vladimir Putin intertwined church and state in an effort to bolster Russian nationalism and, more quietly, his aspirations to reconstruct the Soviet empire. At least initially, on the broader, more ideological level, there was a sense that Russia’s aggression — and Putin’s claims that he was fighting not just Ukraine but the whole of the “degenerate” West — would engender a rebuke of the “illiberal” populist movements that have swept far-right leaders into power around the world. One contingent on the right that might have seemed particularly vulnerable to this reordering of the political arena are the National Conservatives: a relatively new international right-wing coalition that seeks to rehabilitate the idea of nationalism as a virtue and to oppose the emphasis on individual freedom and pluralism in classical liberalism. Yet when the NatCons gathered several weeks ago in Brussels, for their fifth international conference, the dominant message of the speakers was not reassessment or remorse, but vindication. [Read more from Kathryn Joyce](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTMvcmlnaHQtd2luZy1zd2l0Y2hiYWNrLW5hdGlvbmFsLWNvbnNlcnZhdGl2ZXMtd2FudC10by1jbGFpbS11a3JhaW5lL1cDc3BjQgpiSz6tVmJHwtmJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) on how NatCons are now claiming Ukraine embodies their values, not those of the democratic center or left. [Anti-choice-protesters] Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Oklahoma Republicans ram through most restrictive abortion ban in the nation Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a near-total abortion ban on Tuesday, making it a felony for anyone to perform an abortion, as part of a years-long Republican crusade to roll back abortion access for people across the country. The measure, S.B. 612, subjects anyone who provides an abortion to $100,000 fine and up to ten years in prison. While the bill does allow exemptions for medical emergencies, it makes does such thing in cases of rape or incest. [Read more from Jon Skolnik.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTIvb2tsYWhvbWEtcmFtLXRocm91Z2gtbW9zdC1yZXN0cmljdGl2ZS1hYm9ydGlvbi1iYW4taW4tdGhlLW5hdGlvbi9XA3NwY0IKYks-rVZiR8LZiVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - Tucker Carlson [brags that he "skipped"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RaaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTIvdHVja2VyLWNhcmxzb24tYnJhZ3MtdGhhdC1oZS1za2lwcGVkLWdldHRpbmctdGhlLXZhY2NpbmUvVwNzcGNCCmJLPq1WYkfC2YlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) getting the COVID vaccine - Marsha Blackburn [mocked on Twitter](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTIvbWFyc2hhLWJsYWNrYnVybi1tb2NrZWQtb24tdHdpdHRlci1mb3ItY2xhaW1pbmctdGVubmVzc2VhbnMtd2FudC1hLXdhbGwtb24tb3VyLXNvdXRoZXJuLWJvcmRlci9XA3NwY0IKYks-rVZiR8LZiVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) for claiming "Tennesseans want a wall on our southern border" - Earth's oceans are [teeming with mysterious viruses](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTEvZWFydGhzLW9jZWFucy1hcmUtdGVlbWluZy13aXRoLW15c3RlcmlvdXMtdmlydXNlcy1uZXctc3R1ZHktZmluZHMvVwNzcGNCCmJLPq1WYkfC2YlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), new study finds - Break out of your lunch rut with Ina Garten's [ultimate tuna melt](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RhaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTIvYnJlYWstb3V0LW9mLXlvdXItbHVuY2gtcnV0LXdpdGgtaW5hLWdhcnRlbnMtdWx0aW1hdGUtdHVuYS1tZWx0L1cDc3BjQgpiSz6tVmJHwtmJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - David Mamet says teachers are ["inclined to pedophilia,"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTEvZGF2aWQtbWFtZXQtdGVhY2hlcnMtcGVkb3BoaWxpYS1qb2Utcm9nYW4vVwNzcGNCCmJLPq1WYkfC2YlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) perpetuating right-wing grooming rhetoric - 8 best [substitutes for brownies](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RoaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTEvOC1iZXN0LXN1YnN0aXR1dGVzLWZvci1icm93bmllcy1pZi15b3VyZS1vdXQtb2YtZWdncy1vci1ub3QtdXNpbmctdGhlbS9XA3NwY0IKYks-rVZiR8LZiVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) if you're out of eggs (or not using them) - GOP-appointed judge overrules independent panel to [block Democrat from crucial Senate race](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTEvYXBwb2ludGVkLW92ZXJydWxlcy1pbmRlcGVuZGVudC1wYW5lbC10by1ibG9jay1kZW1vY3JhdC1mcm9tLWNydWNpYWwtc2VuYXRlLXJhY2UvVwNzcGNCCmJLPq1WYkfC2YlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpiSz6tVmJHwtmJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. [DeSantis-and-Putin] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images Republicans follow Putin's playbook: Target LGBTQ rights first The conservative government was alarmed at the rise in the numbers of young people espousing LGBTQ identities. So leaders decided it was time for a crackdown. Claiming that it was all about "protecting" the children from supposedly sexually predatory adults, a "don't say gay" law was passed that barred "promoting non-traditional relations to minors." Defenders of the law insisted that LGBTQ people were "not being discriminated against in any way." However, as human rights advocates pointed out, the law was so vaguely worded as to bar any open expression of queer or trans identities. Simply being out of the closet became reason enough to be accused of "gay propaganda," since, after all, one could read that as a signal to minors that being gay is okay. This is Florida now— but it was Russia first. [Read more from Amanda Marcotte on how DeSantis is mirroring Putin.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RSaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTIvZm9sbG93LXB1dGlucy1wbGF5Ym9vay10YXJnZXQtbGdidHEtcmlnaHRzLWZpcnN0L1cDc3BjQgpiSz6tVmJHwtmJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Nicholas Kristof’s Botched Rescue Mission How the lauded Times columnist lost the race for governor of Oregon before it even began," [New York Magazine](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RNaHR0cHM6Ly9ueW1hZy5jb20vaW50ZWxsaWdlbmNlci9hcnRpY2xlL25pY2hvbGFzLWtyaXN0b2Ytb3JlZ29uLWdvdmVybm9yLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKYks-rVZiR8LZiVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Biden’s Quest for Energy Independence Is Taking America in the Wrong Direction," [The New Republic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RBaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdyZXB1YmxpYy5jb20vYXJ0aWNsZS8xNjYwNzMvbGl0aGl1bS1jbGVhbi1lbmVyZ3ktYmlkZW5XA3NwY0IKYks-rVZiR8LZiVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Big cuts coming for CNN+ after slow start," [Axios](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXhpb3MuY29tL2Nubi1wbHVzLWN1dHMtd2FybmVyLWJyb3RoZXJzLWRpc2NvdmVyeS0xYmUwYWMzYS02OTUyLTRhZjAtYjhlMi0wM2RkNmFlMDgzOWMuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpiSz6tVmJHwtmJUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "The Republican judge blocking her party from rigging electoral districts," [The Guardian](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZ3VhcmRpYW4uY29tL3VzLW5ld3MvMjAyMi9hcHIvMTIvb2hpby1yZXB1YmxpY2FuLWp1ZGdlLWJsb2NraW5nLXBhcnR5LWZyb20tZGlzdG9ydGluZy1lbGVjdG9yYWwtZGlzdHJpY3RzVwNzcGNCCmJLPq1WYkfC2YlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) [John-Eastman] Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images “The coup attempt is ongoing”: Ex-Trump lawyer John Eastman still trying to overturn 2020 election John Eastman, the Trump lawyer behind the so-called coup memos "more likely than not" committed federal crimes with his plot to block the certification of Biden's win, a judge said last month. But that hasn't stopped Eastman from continuing his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He recently met with the top Republican in Wisconsin to urge him to "nullify" the 2020 election and "reclaim the electors awarded to Biden," which legal experts say is not possible. [Read more from Igor Derysh.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDQvMTIvdGhlLWNvdXAtYXR0ZW1wdC1pcy1vbmdvaW5nLWV4LWxhd3llci1qb2huLWVhc3RtYW4tc3RpbGwtdHJ5aW5nLXRvLW92ZXJ0dXJuLTIwMjAvVwNzcGNCCmJLPq1WYkfC2YlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkOTI8P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmJLPq1WYkfC2YlSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. 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