The 'Muslim Brotherhood' Playbook

Curious why suddenly every democratic lawmaker is being accused of being a member of(or having ties to) the Muslim Brotherhood? (slash, are you wondering what the MB even is?) The term may be new in the U.S. but the playbook that applies it is not. In this essay I argue that its appearance in the U.S. midterms is evidence of a rich rhetorical exchange between the states and their autocratic allies in the Gulf as each finds ways to delegitimize, demonize and even prosecute unwanted elements, particularly those who might threaten the illiberal status quo of their regimes.