Tag Archives: populism

Ed Kilgore on the old in and out (groups)

At the New Republic today, Ed Kilgore has a new essay analyzing American attitudes toward broad Enlightenment values and civil libertarian principles. His bottom line: most Americans want to know whether you’re “in” or “out” before worrying about whether you should have liberty, justice, … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Republican Cognitive Dissonance and Rep. Joe Barton’s Apology to BP

At Salon today, Gabriel Winant asks a good question: The right hand of the GOP plays a waltz for the party’s dance with big business; the left hand beats out a populist rhythm. Somehow, the two don’t cancel each other … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Did Sarah Palin write this Amazon review?

I thought that the below Amazon review of Michael Hyde’s The Life-Giving Gift of Acknowledgment  (Purdue 2005), in its unironic anti-intellectuality and impatience with anything not conventionally “normal,” inadvertently channelled Sarah Palin. It was as if the person had accidentally walked into the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fox News 101: What Every Authoritarian Knows

Hermann Goering to Captain G. Gilbert, Nuremberg, 1945: “Naturally the common people don’t want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Glenn Beck Friday: Creepy, Maudlin, Hysterical Populism on Display

The clip below is illustrative of how religious emotionalism is easily translated, by a charlatan like Glenn Beck, into political emotionalism. And notice the Nazi-like volkish essentialism at work here. Implied by Beck is the notion that all true Americans can tap their inner … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Oklahomans on the Couch

Denver Nicks, of The Daily Beast, explains Oklahomans’ general dislike of Obama: President Obama is from many places, including one (Indonesia) outside of the United States. He is a living mosaic who neither looks nor speaks like any president this … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Orwell’s 1984 Comes to Election 2008: Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic Reports That VP-Pick Sarah Palin WON’T Be Taking Press Questions Anytime Soon

How gross is this? A candidate for vice-president, brand new to the national stage, will not be allowing herself to be subject to press questions? How can you evaluate a person’s position on issues, and the quality of her mind, if … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Cindy McCain’s $300,000 Heartland Outfit: Alex Koppelman of Slate Ironically Skewers the Faux Populism of the Republican Convention

Alex Koppelman of Slate on the third night of the 2008 Republican convention: You know, when the days get darkest for me, when it seems like there’s no hope left in this country, I’m always cheered by the fact that … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment