General Discussion

damnedifIknow

(3,183 posts) Fri Oct 18, 2013, 11:15 PM Oct 2013

The Strange Stalinization of the American Right

With the possible exception of the Post’s Harold Meyerson, who drew a trenchant parallel to Jacobins and Stalinists, the mainstream media, throughout the just-ended phony fiscal crisis in Washington, have avoided comparing today’s Tea Party zealots with the American Communist Party at the height of the Cold War.(via The New Yorker)

But they should have.

The dread Reds of the Fifties evinced a rigid dogmatism and a contempt for partisan comity rare in U.S. politics. But their old-time religion is rivaled by the scorched-earth ideologues of the radical right who blackmailed the global economy in the name of, well… I guess it’s Ted Cruz, the Trotsky of Tortilla Coast."

* For some reason, Americans didn’t take as seriously the malignancy of the Tea Party as we did our native Commies. We elected Cruz, Broun and others — deeming them harmless, enjoying their bombast, trusting that they were too few to do much harm. And oops! We were wrong. Their mischief is manifest. It has cost us dearly, and it lingers. These barbarians won’t be easily driven from the gate."

https://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/10/18-1

Related: http://readerrant.capitolhillblue.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=264004

6 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

The Strange Stalinization of the American Right (Original Post) damnedifIknow Oct 2013 OP

Well MFrohike Oct 2013 #1

K&R. Unless we LABEL them correctly, & MARGINALIZE them, they will continue push dialogue rightward Faryn Balyncd Oct 2013 #2

That's what I've started saying. To hell with the cutsie self-labeling "Tea Party"... Hekate Oct 2013 #5

Well, America got a damn good look at them now.. Cha Oct 2013 #3

Not so strange when. . . . h2ebits Oct 2013 #4

They came to burn it down Southside Oct 2013 #6

MFrohike

(1,980 posts)

1. Well

Reply to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Fri Oct 18, 2013, 11:23 PM

Oct 2013

It's the entire American right, not just the tea party. The billionaire-funded think tank and media empire began with National Review, not TARP. Don't let any of them off the hook because the only difference between the "GOP" and the tea party is that the tea party doesn't hide the crazy.

Faryn Balyncd

(5,125 posts)

2. K&R. Unless we LABEL them correctly, & MARGINALIZE them, they will continue push dialogue rightward

Reply to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Sat Oct 19, 2013, 12:01 AM

Oct 2013

Hekate

(90,714 posts)

5. That's what I've started saying. To hell with the cutsie self-labeling "Tea Party"...

Reply to Faryn Balyncd (Reply #2)

Sat Oct 19, 2013, 02:59 AM

Oct 2013

... and earnest-sounding but entirely false "conservative."

The men and women who just tried to bring down the American government and the world economy are radical rightists and fringe lunatics, and the media needs to stop being circumspect and just give us truth in labeling.

Hear that, Chuck Todd? Truth in labeling is your job!

Cha

(297,299 posts)

3. Well, America got a damn good look at them now..

Reply to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Sat Oct 19, 2013, 02:01 AM

Oct 2013

And, that was only Day 7!

thanks for the article, damnedifIknow

h2ebits

(644 posts)

4. Not so strange when. . . .

Reply to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Sat Oct 19, 2013, 02:50 AM

Oct 2013

we remember that the Koch Brothers money came from their daddy who got the money from working for Stalin. Their father was one of the creators of the John Birch Society. We have a serious problem in the United States and the more we can see and spread the knowledge; the sooner we can solve the problem. What just occurred is a huge eye opener to many people. We need to keep it coming.

Southside

(338 posts)

6. They came to burn it down

Reply to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Sat Oct 19, 2013, 12:01 PM

Oct 2013

"scorched-earth ideologues of the radical right" is what they are. After they slash and burn the progress of the past 50 years, I fear what the Tea Party has planned for seniors, minorities, LGBT, women, labor and the poor.

Reply to this discussion