Comments on: Distinctions http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/ n. the principle of good order "Observe the strange inversion of all order and sense! Dignity debased; how vilely is the function of a consul prostituted!" ~The Craftsman Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:36:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: mkdelucas http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8551 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:51:24 +0000 http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8551 "it is correct to identify fascism as a leftist ideology" Because it's a kind of "mass politics"? And mass politics is by defintion Left, regardless of the socio-political end result? In a "democratic" age what's Right? “it is correct to identify fascism as a leftist ideology”

Because it’s a kind of “mass politics”? And mass politics is by defintion Left, regardless of the socio-political end result?

In a “democratic” age what’s Right?

]]> by: TGGP http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8537 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:26:14 +0000 http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8537 Communists always prided themselves on being the opposite of fascism, with the internationalist Trotskyites to an even greater degree, so it isn't surprising that their descendants would find it unthinkable that there is anything fascist about their ideology. I'm no scholar of fascism, but I wonder why the Austrian and Greek "fascists" don't deserve the label. They seem more typical of European fascism than the Nazis. Communists always prided themselves on being the opposite of fascism, with the internationalist Trotskyites to an even greater degree, so it isn’t surprising that their descendants would find it unthinkable that there is anything fascist about their ideology.

I’m no scholar of fascism, but I wonder why the Austrian and Greek “fascists” don’t deserve the label. They seem more typical of European fascism than the Nazis.

]]> by: Mild Colonial Boy http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8531 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:39:52 +0000 http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8531 Mr Larison - <a href="http://jonswift.blogspot.com/2007/06/jonah-goldbergs-shining.html" rel="nofollow">Jon Swift's helpful edition</a> may tide you over until your copy arrives. Mr Larison - Jon Swift’s helpful edition may tide you over until your copy arrives.

]]> by: Daniel Larison http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8529 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:35:23 +0000 http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8529 Does he really? Wow. It's much worse than I thought. I'm still waiting on my copy. Does he really? Wow. It’s much worse than I thought. I’m still waiting on my copy.

]]> by: kranza http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8528 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:18:44 +0000 http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8528 In Liberal Fascism, Goldberg identifies Buchanan's divergences from movement conservatism--protectionism, "isolationism," and restrictionism--as fascist or tending towards fascist, yet he blithely identifies "spreading democracy" as conservative. He finds fascism in everything from Whole Foods to JFK-worship, nativism to tarrifs--basically anything that remotely harkens towards some sense of community or being part of something larger than the individual--yet he never once even hints at seeing fascism in the neocon crusade. In Liberal Fascism, Goldberg identifies Buchanan’s divergences from movement conservatism–protectionism, “isolationism,” and restrictionism–as fascist or tending towards fascist, yet he blithely identifies “spreading democracy” as conservative. He finds fascism in everything from Whole Foods to JFK-worship, nativism to tarrifs–basically anything that remotely harkens towards some sense of community or being part of something larger than the individual–yet he never once even hints at seeing fascism in the neocon crusade.

]]> by: bsebse http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8526 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:48:46 +0000 http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8526 Goldberg is watering down fascim so much that his is going to make it respectable once again. In other words, rather than turn people against liberalism by equating it with fascism he is going to make fascim acceptable by equating it with liberalism, which many people support. What is also amazing about Goldberg is that he has come out against any sort of government action or spending domestically, but wants huge action and spending for "foreign policy" including, yes you guessed it, international aid. So, not spending in fly-over country, but spend away to fight foreign bad-guys ("Hitler's") and support our "allies". Says it all, doesn't it. Goldberg is watering down fascim so much that his is going to make it respectable once again. In other words, rather than turn people against liberalism by equating it with fascism he is going to make fascim acceptable by equating it with liberalism, which many people support.

What is also amazing about Goldberg is that he has come out against any sort of government action or spending domestically, but wants huge action and spending for “foreign policy” including, yes you guessed it, international aid.

So, not spending in fly-over country, but spend away to fight foreign bad-guys (”Hitler’s”) and support our “allies”.

Says it all, doesn’t it.

]]> by: M.Z. Forrest http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8524 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:44:02 +0000 http://larison.org/2008/01/14/distinctions/#comment-8524 At this point, I'm probably convincing no one. Compassionate conservatism was largely abandoned by Bush. The only meat was NCLB. Some would include the Medicare drug benefit. While I won't extend the charge to you, there are many people who use "compassionate conservatism" as a synonym for spending they don't like. In most cases, they're impotent at defining that spending. You, OTOH, I know have no difficulty articulating what spending you would rid. As a personal preference, I almost wish people would claim Huckabee was advocating social democracy. I'm afraid that charge wouldn't hold however. It makes me think that compassionate conservatism is supposed to be that middle ground between "limited government" and social democracy. The former concept has absolutely no meaning at this point, hence the quote marks. At this point, I’m probably convincing no one. Compassionate conservatism was largely abandoned by Bush. The only meat was NCLB. Some would include the Medicare drug benefit. While I won’t extend the charge to you, there are many people who use “compassionate conservatism” as a synonym for spending they don’t like. In most cases, they’re impotent at defining that spending. You, OTOH, I know have no difficulty articulating what spending you would rid. As a personal preference, I almost wish people would claim Huckabee was advocating social democracy. I’m afraid that charge wouldn’t hold however. It makes me think that compassionate conservatism is supposed to be that middle ground between “limited government” and social democracy. The former concept has absolutely no meaning at this point, hence the quote marks.

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