Not because Spencer's blood-chilling racial hatred is good for political discourse in America -- it's not. These currents have never been far below the surface in American political life, but have now come out to party. Journalist Daniel Hallin referred to three spheres of media discourse : consensus, legitimate controversy, and deviance. Media focused within the sphere of legitimate controversy: abortion in the second trimester should be (il)legal; economic growth will increase if taxes are (raised/lowered). "White supremacists hope that Steve Bannon's ascendancy expands the sphere of legitimate discourse to include ethno-nationalism and religious and racial tests for civil rights."

Source: CNN November 23, 2016 21:53 UTC