GGniner
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Obama Heeds Dictator Handbook With School Speech
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=2...rhpivPu_wI
great article
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By far the most important and prescient book of the past decade is Jonah Goldberg’s “Liberal Fascism” (2007), which makes it easy to understand why town-hall meetings are stuffed with concerned and angry citizens. If Obama wants to save his presidency, he needs to drop what he is doing and read it, now.
“Fascism, at its core,” Goldberg writes, “is the view that every nook and cranny of society should work together in spiritual union toward the same goals overseen by the state.”
I’ll put it this way: Fascism, at its core, is a stew that begins with liberal orthodoxy and then adds a charismatic leader and thuggish government officials.
Obama’s Mistake
So if you pursue a radical left-wing agenda, you will inevitably arouse fear of fascism. Obama’s big mistake has been to ignore this dynamic and the fears that his own powerful charisma will inflame in his opponents.
When you think fascism, you think of the evil tyrants of the 20th century. But the first fascist nation in the world was, Goldberg insists, the U.S., and Woodrow Wilson the first fascist dictator.
The case is surprisingly strong. The “progressive” Wilson centralized power, shut down members of the press he didn’t like and pressed his brand of nationalism on American children, who were asked to pledge, “I make a promise that I’ll do my honest, earnest part, in helping my America with all my loyal heart.”
Given Goldberg’s definition of fascism, it makes sense that Americans would be nervous today.
A government that rapidly attempts to consolidate power over everything from automakers to health care will naturally give people pause. Attempting to do so by following the lead of a charismatic politician who rose to power by organizing massive rallies will naturally give people pause. That such a leader would surround himself in the White House with political thugs will naturally give people pause.
Personality Cult
Obama needs to recognize all this and be sensitive to it. Instead, in misstep after misstep, he has taken actions that heighten questions about his ultimate objectives.
The school address plays to fears that he is building a personality cult. There are many other concerns as well.
For example, Obama was silent when it was reported that Van Jones, a White House special adviser on “green” energy jobs, had used a profanity to describe Republicans in a speech in Berkeley, California, a month before he joined the administration.
The attention Jones received for the remarks uncovered a disturbing past. For example, ABC News reported that “Jones and other young activists in 1994 formed a group called Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement, or STORM, rooted in Marxism and Leninism.”
Fire Him
Is it any wonder that Americans are rising up against this president? If your agenda calls for a massive expansion of government power, one that requires you to convince citizens that your motives are pure and the power will not be abused, don’t put a guy who formed a Marxist-Leninist group called STORM in the White House. If you do make a mistake and hire such a person, fire him when you learn he dismissed political opponents with a vulgarity. (And no, letting him resign over a long holiday weekend doesn’t count.)
A look at Wilson’s first inaugural address shows it was pure Obama: “I summon all honest men, all patriotic, all forward-looking men, to my side.”
Anyone with those characteristics would, of course, agree with Wilson. And those who didn’t? According to Goldberg’s book, Wilson said in another venue that those who are not progressive “better look out.”
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09-08-2009 02:53 PM |
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Artifice
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RE: Obama Heeds Dictator Handbook With School Speech
PARIS, France (CNN)[-- Former first lady Laura Bush praised the performance of her husband's successor Monday, breaking with many Republicans in telling CNN that she thinks President Obama is doing a good job under tough circumstances.
Former first lady Laura Bush defended President Obama's decision to address the nation's schoolchildren.
She also criticized Washington's sharp political divide during an interview covering a range of topics including her thoughts on first lady Michelle Obama, former Vice President Dick Cheney, the situation in Afghanistan and Myanmar, and life after eight tumultuous years in the White House.
Bush sat down with CNN on Monday during a United Nations meeting in Paris, France, where she was promoting global literacy, a cause she trumpeted during her husband's administration.
The typically reserved former first lady defended Obama's decision to deliver a back-to-school speech to students, putting her at odds with many conservatives afraid that the president will use the opportunity to advance his political agenda.
"I think he is [doing a good job]," Bush said when asked to assess Obama's job performance. "I think he has got a lot on his plate, and he has tackled a lot to start with, and that has probably made it more difficult."
Michelle Obama is also "doing great," she said, in part by turning the White House into a comfortable home for her family.
(This post was last modified: 09-08-2009 09:35 PM by Artifice.)
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09-08-2009 09:34 PM |
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Rebel
Unregistered
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RE: Obama Heeds Dictator Handbook With School Speech
(09-08-2009 09:34 PM)Artifice Wrote: PARIS, France (CNN)[-- Former first lady Laura Bush praised the performance of her husband's successor Monday, breaking with many Republicans in telling CNN that she thinks President Obama is doing a good job under tough circumstances.
Former first lady Laura Bush defended President Obama's decision to address the nation's schoolchildren.
She also criticized Washington's sharp political divide during an interview covering a range of topics including her thoughts on first lady Michelle Obama, former Vice President Dick Cheney, the situation in Afghanistan and Myanmar, and life after eight tumultuous years in the White House.
Bush sat down with CNN on Monday during a United Nations meeting in Paris, France, where she was promoting global literacy, a cause she trumpeted during her husband's administration.
The typically reserved former first lady defended Obama's decision to deliver a back-to-school speech to students, putting her at odds with many conservatives afraid that the president will use the opportunity to advance his political agenda.
"I think he is [doing a good job]," Bush said when asked to assess Obama's job performance. "I think he has got a lot on his plate, and he has tackled a lot to start with, and that has probably made it more difficult."
Michelle Obama is also "doing great," she said, in part by turning the White House into a comfortable home for her family.
This, the wife of a person you trashed the **** out of and probably even stated that BS about her killing someone. Yeah, talk about a hypocrite.
NEXT!
BTW, we on the right don't take marching orders. Look to the left.
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09-08-2009 09:55 PM |
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I45owl
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RE: Obama Heeds Dictator Handbook With School Speech
(09-08-2009 09:55 PM)Rebel Wrote: (09-08-2009 09:34 PM)Artifice Wrote: PARIS, France (CNN)[-- Former first lady Laura Bush praised the performance of her husband's successor Monday, breaking with many Republicans in telling CNN that she thinks President Obama is doing a good job under tough circumstances.
Former first lady Laura Bush defended President Obama's decision to address the nation's schoolchildren.
She also criticized Washington's sharp political divide during an interview covering a range of topics including her thoughts on first lady Michelle Obama, former Vice President Dick Cheney, the situation in Afghanistan and Myanmar, and life after eight tumultuous years in the White House.
Bush sat down with CNN on Monday during a United Nations meeting in Paris, France, where she was promoting global literacy, a cause she trumpeted during her husband's administration.
The typically reserved former first lady defended Obama's decision to deliver a back-to-school speech to students, putting her at odds with many conservatives afraid that the president will use the opportunity to advance his political agenda.
"I think he is [doing a good job]," Bush said when asked to assess Obama's job performance. "I think he has got a lot on his plate, and he has tackled a lot to start with, and that has probably made it more difficult."
Michelle Obama is also "doing great," she said, in part by turning the White House into a comfortable home for her family.
This, the wife of a person you trashed the **** out of and probably even stated that BS about her killing someone. Yeah, talk about a hypocrite.
NEXT!
BTW, we on the right don't take marching orders. Look to the left.
Not to mention taking the high road after Obama's inauguration speech.
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09-09-2009 08:13 AM |
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smn1256
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RE: Obama Heeds Dictator Handbook With School Speech
(09-08-2009 09:34 PM)Artifice Wrote: Bush said when asked to assess Obama's job performance. "I think he has got a lot on his plate, and he has tackled a lot to start with, and that has probably made it more difficult."
I think this is a tactful way of saying that Obama is trying to do too much too fast and nothing is getting done. She didn't mention if Obama was successful.
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09-09-2009 10:23 AM |
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DrTorch
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RE: Obama Heeds Dictator Handbook With School Speech
(09-09-2009 10:23 AM)smn1256 Wrote: (09-08-2009 09:34 PM)Artifice Wrote: Bush said when asked to assess Obama's job performance. "I think he has got a lot on his plate, and he has tackled a lot to start with, and that has probably made it more difficult."
I think this is a tactful way of saying that Obama is trying to do too much too fast and nothing is getting done. She didn't mention if Obama was successful.
I think it's just a demonstration of the graciousness the White House had from 2001-2009.
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09-09-2009 10:26 AM |
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