R’s have learned to change their boogiemen occasionally while keeping them substantially similar. Is DEI or CRT substantially different then “Political correctness gone wild”? Not even a little. But it feels new.
You’re right, that is a thing they do.
I see my original comment got at least one down vote because we’re still in the “denial” phase. It’s the truth though: most people, however wrong they may be, view the fascist label as just another flippantly-tossed insult not to be taken seriously.