I have often argued that the best way to deal with the autocratic right is to make some strategic compromises on culture war issues in order to buy time for liberal democracy. Most of the extremists are old people; the idea is to make them feel secure until they die out in the fairly near future. As Sarah Palin might say, how’s that appeasement thing working for you?
It isn’t by anyone’s design, but it is happening; the Supreme Court is busy carving out safe spaces for the right, and the red states are adopting culture war legislation as if there is no tomorrow. Will that satisfy the reactionaries? Based on the muted response to DeSantis and the lack of interest in wokeness at the first Republican debate, the correct answer is a ringing maybe.