I’m starting to think their use of the term tankie is completely meaningless and it’s actually just what they call people they don’t like.
This is exactly it. The word has no meaning anymore beyond “those more socialist-y socialists”.
I only really ever see it used in any remotely meaningful way that isn’t attempting to be a though terminating insult when used towards people that have studied theory or those baby leftists that hang out online with us theory enjoyers.
Oh, and needless to really say but anarchists, by definition, can’t be tankies.