“Limited government” means to take power away from governments elected by and answerable to the voters and hand that power off to massive, monopolistic corporations and the morbidly rich…
Here in Baghdad By the Sea we are in the midst of mass movement into our state by people who want "limited" government. After all we have no state income tax. No state inheritance tax. Despite our huge population, we still have the laws of a 19th Century agrarian state.
But I'm living in a Fascist state. E.G. Borrowing from Tom Huckin, professor emeritus, University of Utah: "Is Ron DeSantis a fascist? Checking 14 characteristics of fascism against the Florida governor’s actions." They tried to remove political opponents, injected more partisan politics in local elections, restricted city and county investments, erased some community regulations, and enact policies favoring business and development interests, longtime allies of the Florida Republican Party.
First, fascism is “a cult of tradition.” DeSantis’ traditionalist, anti-“woke” policies are a good example.
Second, Eco considered it “an irrational rejection of modernism.” DeSantis’s vow in Orem to “kneecap” environmental, social and governing investing strategies exemplifies this.
A third characteristic is “action for action’s sake” and “distrust of the intellectual world.” Examples include DeSantis’ continuing attacks on Florida’s colleges and universities and their open-minded searches for truth — which he simplistically demeans as “wokism.”
Fourth is a rejection of the critical spirit, replaced by the notion that “disagreement is treason.” This accords with the previous point.
A fifth characteristic is fear of diversity. As Eco [Umberto Eco OMRI (5 January 1932 – 19 February 2016) who wrote on Fascism] puts it, “Fascism is racist by definition.” DeSantis is notorious for his attacks on the teaching of Black history, Indigenous history, slavery, or anything else that deviates from the traditional white-oriented curriculum.
Sixth is fascism’s appeal to frustrated middle and lower-middle classes. In our hypercapitalistic nation, money flows upward to the wealthier classes, creating resentment among everyone else. DeSantis’ political rhetoric takes full advantage.
A seventh characteristic is ultranationalism and obsession with a plot, possibly an international one. DeSantis has promoted laws that would criminalize and incarcerate not only undocumented immigrants but any citizen who helps them.
Eighth is a feeling of humiliation due to the wealth and power of their enemies. Not applicable in DeSantis’ case.
Next is the fascist belief that “life is permanent warfare.” The current culture war embraced by DeSantis and his followers is a good example, as was DeSantis’ crusade against Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Tenth is a populist form of elitism that includes contempt for the weak. DeSantis is known for such cruelty, going back to when he was a Navy officer at Guantanamo sitting in on — and, according to one victim, enjoying — torture sessions.
Eleventh: the myth of the hero. Fascism always has a strong leader who considers himself superior to everyone else. DeSantis’ attacks on Disney World and the CDC are good illustrations.
Twelfth is the “fetishizing of machismo” and “disdain for women and homosexuals,” enhanced by what Eco calls “the worship of guns as phallic symbols.” DeSantis projects a kind of machismo in his public image, including disdain for women in a harsh new abortion law and disdain for gays in his book bans. As for guns, he recently signed into law the right of all Florida citizens to carry a concealed gun anywhere — without a permit.
A thirteenth characteristic of fascism is “TV or Internet populism, in which the emotional response of a selected group of citizens can be presented and accepted as the Voice of the People.” DeSantis is a frequent guest on Fox News, Newsmax, and other right-wing platforms, which promote him in every way.
Finally, fascism uses “an impoverished vocabulary and an elementary syntax, in order to limit the instruments for complex and critical reasoning.” Though he’s well-educated, DeSantis uses simplified speech in public, and simplistic reasoning.
Like Trump, DeSantis, with support of a right wing legislature, is a demagogue, who scapegoats "the other" and emasculates local governmental authority.
Umberto Eco of ‘The Name of the Rose’ fame? {Do I have that right?} I had not read anything else by him. Must dig him up {well, not literally…}.
[Quite an analysis of the Floridian Fascisti, though. Yep.
Mr. Hartmann’s discussion of the concept of “limited government” in light of aristocracy v. democracy is dead straight and SO important, too.
If by “government,” we refer to “power over us,” then limiting our system created by our DEMOCRACY only leaves more power in the hands of fewer wealthy individuals to “govern” our behavior. It’s an inherent contradiction in the foundational idea.
Egad, syntax and semantics … too complicated. I like Mr. Hartmann’s treatment of it. Wish I could get more people to read him.]
One must never forget that almost(?) all the sins of the current Republican Party were kicked into high gear by Reagan and his cronies. There isn't sufficient torment anywhere in hell for Saint Ronnie.
Reagan was a B actor playing President for the USA, and the middle class cheered him on even as our living standards declined and our job losses became permanent.
One of the programmes I like here in France is preventative medicine. Which means we all get free breast scans/uterine cancer/prostate cancer etc.
Even though these might cost the taxpayer it allows less stress on hospitals. Illness caught early is extremely helpful to all of us and makes life less stressful.
I cannot understand the people who fight against healthcare/education etc.
First Jenny, the left expected over population and pollution and starvation. You need to address your debate questions to the right-wing conservatives who HATE change! How about let them speak for themselves, because I cannot get a coherent answer from those religious followers of Armageddon apparently.
We are going to reason with all of the wrong Wing conservatives! I dare say there is about 12 to 15% of Lefty's left. The religious groomers detaching children from reality and the mentally ill parents who never recovered from their parents mental illness from religion, coupled with a lack of caring about truth and worshiping money as God, coupled with a bunch of financial stress and anxiety, add 50 lbs. How will we the left change the wrong wingers? Encourage them all to eat Big Macs and raise all the children in agnostic communes is the only thing I can think of.
I read and agree with all the reasons why government should not be limited. Having lived thru the VN war and Watergate during my formative ( read as university days) I became a full on progressive and so I finished school, got my profession and can go anywhere and live comfortably and so why do I care that the idiot magas ( low/middle socioeconomic class in particular) choose to put in office local as well as state and national politicos? No gun permits needed? I live in gated , well policed neighborhoods. No state tax and now suddenly a proposal to limit real estate taxes? I live in more expensive neighborhoods/communities where there is always funds for roads or parks or town centers. So why do I bother to be concerned about citizens with little critical thinking, self-deluded racists and homophobes? Because a rising tide elevates all boats. Whether they understand it or not it’s not just to their benefit ( of which they are oblivious) but mine as well. I don’t want gated ghettos of wealth or to fear public places amenable to mass shootings. The models are there in Scandinavia, Western Europe, Australia. Safer, better health care, and an educated electorate. We have the greatest military in the world. That’s about it.
Of course this the plan of the billionaires! Back to wild capitalism. The richest govern and screw the poor and middle class. No law to defend us, simple citizens, anymore. That will bring revolution and lots of blood on the streets. Why do think the police got military equipments for the last 10-15 years? That's the real conspiracy
[EDIT-Answering JennyStokes - who will do the work}
The same ones who did it for the kings and “lords” — the ones who don’t own anything and need the patronage of the wealthy who do own everything. {Isn’t it interesting that very deep pockets types are buying up houses across the country - often sight unseen - and turning them to rentals. Regular wage earners looking for their first home find their choices purchased right out from under them, time after time. People are now being “advised” to rent houses for a while, since it can be “cheaper” and easier than buying. }
When we no longer “own” anything, what does that portend….It even cuts down our sense of commitment to where we live, if our lives are entirely on a contingency basis … We are then not a community, but a bunch of people competing with our neighbors for the spoils left to us by the Owners - Oligarchs.
The willingness that the advantaged are crazy for more always more. There is no end to this desire. We all know that the cost of doing nothing for the poor and needy is far higher for society. Our thinking focused on keeping the unworthy out of the cookie jar is the path of denying the worthy of gaining access to what they deserve. Everyone still has to focus on what the Dem party will campaign on what we will do for society to uplift us to greater opportunities for as many as we can. It always is a good to do good. What are those 3 or 4 campaign issues and will the party repeat the issue sufficiently for the low information Dem base voters to get them to come to the polls.
It takes great spiritual strength in order to not allow worldly energy to dominate. Few can deal properly with large wealth and those that can need to be in service to the people in order to keep it that way. Worldly energy makes these people work for it. They are not free.
The aristocratic oligarchs who control most of America today are no longer concerned with wealth for wealth's sake. For the uber riche the amount of money they possess is only important as signals in a ranking game, evidence of their place in a pecking order that is completely separate from the general population.
But at this stage of separation of the aristocratic class from the hoi polloi, wealth has a more important role - it is now mostly about power to control ALL aspects of society. The rich have always believed that they are rich because they are better than the rest of us - smarter, better genes, stronger morals. They believe they should be the ones to decide how society functions. Fascism is one of the tools they are working hard to forge, but the socio-economic end game is a 21st century version of feudalism.
Last week it was revealed that five dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc were removed from their libraries in Escambia County, Florida. Dictionaries were removed because they contained bad wokey words. If this is not the ultimate insult to intellectual integrity, I don't know what is. The dictionary is the recorded history of our intellectual evolution, where each word by it's singularity reveals, contributes to our intellecual growth. It thusly provides a concrete history. Compared to the Bible as recorded history, with it's ping-pong contradictions and incredibly gobdmackimg
assertions, as credible, reliable sources the dictionary clearly prevails. And the Dem Party's reaction to this hopelessly craven civil insult? Where a meaningful response might be reflected by quoting from the great Welsh poet's words--"Do not go gentle into that good night, rage, rage against the dying of the light.". But alas, the reaction is more reflected by another line from the same said poet--"All of the people in the lulled, dumbfound town are sleeping now".
If I were a Florida parent (I don’t live there and have no children,) I would be giving my kid supplemental lessons on everything DeSantis doesn’t want them to know. Even though I’m not a parent, education benefits society as a whole, and cultivating ignorance is harmful. We all benefit from educated citizens. Our thoroughly unresponsive Ohio General Assembly wants to adopt the Heritage Foundation’s equally ideological curriculum, which dumbs down our history.
If these people following trump realized the reality of just who he’s working for , the morbidly rich, the morbidly racist, the morbidly destructive corporations
Who were bestowed “the go ahead “ to be recognized as ‘citizens’ by the bribe taking Supremecist, Supreme Court.
Yes these are who the Republicans are working for. And then when these Control Freaks decide people’s most personal interests and outcomes they are making ‘ limited government’ as wide as their bigoted hearts can handle they show no concern for the personhood of the majority of non wealthy Americans .
This is the situation we’re in right now with the only restraints on violence and bigotry because Trump is a criminal who’s been voted out of the presidency and not in charge.
If he gets another chance to govern there will be an obstruction of personal rights along with violence against any oppositional entity. He’s been crystal clear in telling us these things . But he apparently is such a practiced liar that people see him as their personal savior. Forgive the blasphemy.
People following Trump have bought the current big lie , that Biden is orchestrating his demise by having him charged with ... wait for it .. all the felonies he committed while pretending to be a president . He’s a loathsome individual .
He has put the Bribed Republicans on the Court on notice that they are to comply with his lies. Let’s see what they do .
What the morbidly rich are really after is our labor---they want it as close to free as possible. The oldest story in the oldest books from the history of our world. In essence they want to own your life/time for as long as you are working for them, but when their need is full-filled you are on your own to try to stay healthy, feed, clothe, and shelter yourself and your family. And speaking of families, these greedy bastards have made that a "luxury" too.
Limiting the little-guy is what they do best by telling the lies you mentioned about limited government. We The People need to make them pay us---it really is that simple. We can't keep doing all the work and not benefit.
No more unfair low-cost labor---time to show we have ideas about limits too.
Thanks Thom -- I have met the government, and it is us.
People who claim to want ‘small government’ in our country want you and me out of it, as you show over and over again.
As you show yet again, ‘conservative’ is a Trojan word in this country, like so many others that have been corrupted ( though we could debate whether it ever was used faithfully here )
Trojan words are what I call ‘semantic infiltration,’ an academic term that doesn’t fit in the mouth, brought to mind for me by Lawrence O’Donnell, who cited his old boss Senator Moynihan in the 70s, who was quoting academics from the 60s. The simplest things . . . are not . . . so I propose ‘Trojan words.’
Fascists, Confederates, the KKK, misogynists, misers and that whole lot are *not* ‘conservative.’ As we all know and yet, we bobble our words and use the term . . . in our own mouths . . .
‘Right’ is the next maddening word on my list. There’s nothing right about them. But once someone reports that ‘the right wing’ or ‘the extreme right’ or just ‘the right’ has said something, regular people turn their brains off. You already said they’re right, why are you still talking?
What we are seeing is shallow vs deep, not ‘right’ vs ‘left,’ in my formulation. Shallow is intentional -- we are not going to think or pay attention -- and deep is aspirational, so a natural target for scorn and ignorance. But that’s what I see.
Right means Godly and white means Godly. We should be calling them wrong wing and shallow thinkers. You are correct! Where did that term right-wing come from anyway? Satan Wing extremists is closer to the truth.
When someone says 'white supremacist,' of course first they should look at the subject . . . but I object strongly to trying to drag my pale ass into that snarling idiot cabal . . .after all, drool is not white ! -- b.rad
White supremacists are nothing more than an army of ignorant fools, one of the tools that the rich can use to keep us divided and fighting amongst ourselves, while they hoover up all the wealth and gain total control over society.
Another outstanding essay and great comments from readers.
Those who claim to want "limited government" (and they want to define what's limited) are playing a semantics game, of course. So those of us who disagree with the details of their version are for "unlimited government." What nonsense. Yet no doubt many of those whom they influence buy it.
Since privatization which took from the government and gave to the corporations and Rich didn't work out so well, the new hat trick for the rich is the word "limited"!
The purpose of the government is to keep the masses civilized so the merchants can prosper. The right in their greed always makes their nations look like a group of toddlers that got into the gallon size paint cans. Unfortunately the right wingers who are mostly religious reproduce more than the left, so democracy always fails and so does autocracy and theocracy.
Our leaders should be required to have over 130 IQ, be truth seekers and realists and rational thinkers, then maybe they could lead the blind to sanity? Those are the first ones whose heads will be on the chopping blocks with the fascists though.
"Limited" goes to states rights. 10th Amendment. "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
Dred Scott. Civil War. Plessy v. Ferguson. Slaughterhouse cases.
IMHO this goes to whether states are subject to due process and equal protection under the 14th Amendment or are "free" to deny their citizens civil rights and other benefits. Until SCOTUS found that Georgia businesses on interstate highways had to grant Black Americans civil rights, they were "free" to discriminate. The Commerce Clause provided authority to force private businesses to abide by Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, or national origin in public accommodations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_of_Atlanta_Motel,_Inc._v._United_States
Right wingers have been attempting to undermine 14th Amendment equal protection application to the states. E.G. in 2018 in Masterpiece Cakeshop, the Court stated that “religious and philosophical objections to gay marriage are protected views and in some instances protected forms of expression.” 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, the Supreme Court in June 2023 ruled that a Christian website designer cannot be required to create wedding websites for same-sex couples. The designer said that doing so would violate her religious beliefs.
"“Limited government” means to take power away from governments elected by and answerable to the voters and hand that power off to massive, monopolistic corporations and the morbidly rich…". Yes! And please name names of the rich, and the roles they play. It is ironic that the head of Heritage, spokesman of the Koch billionaire network, goes to Davos and rails against the billionaire power represented there.
Here in Baghdad By the Sea we are in the midst of mass movement into our state by people who want "limited" government. After all we have no state income tax. No state inheritance tax. Despite our huge population, we still have the laws of a 19th Century agrarian state.
But I'm living in a Fascist state. E.G. Borrowing from Tom Huckin, professor emeritus, University of Utah: "Is Ron DeSantis a fascist? Checking 14 characteristics of fascism against the Florida governor’s actions." They tried to remove political opponents, injected more partisan politics in local elections, restricted city and county investments, erased some community regulations, and enact policies favoring business and development interests, longtime allies of the Florida Republican Party.
First, fascism is “a cult of tradition.” DeSantis’ traditionalist, anti-“woke” policies are a good example.
Second, Eco considered it “an irrational rejection of modernism.” DeSantis’s vow in Orem to “kneecap” environmental, social and governing investing strategies exemplifies this.
A third characteristic is “action for action’s sake” and “distrust of the intellectual world.” Examples include DeSantis’ continuing attacks on Florida’s colleges and universities and their open-minded searches for truth — which he simplistically demeans as “wokism.”
Fourth is a rejection of the critical spirit, replaced by the notion that “disagreement is treason.” This accords with the previous point.
A fifth characteristic is fear of diversity. As Eco [Umberto Eco OMRI (5 January 1932 – 19 February 2016) who wrote on Fascism] puts it, “Fascism is racist by definition.” DeSantis is notorious for his attacks on the teaching of Black history, Indigenous history, slavery, or anything else that deviates from the traditional white-oriented curriculum.
Sixth is fascism’s appeal to frustrated middle and lower-middle classes. In our hypercapitalistic nation, money flows upward to the wealthier classes, creating resentment among everyone else. DeSantis’ political rhetoric takes full advantage.
A seventh characteristic is ultranationalism and obsession with a plot, possibly an international one. DeSantis has promoted laws that would criminalize and incarcerate not only undocumented immigrants but any citizen who helps them.
Eighth is a feeling of humiliation due to the wealth and power of their enemies. Not applicable in DeSantis’ case.
Next is the fascist belief that “life is permanent warfare.” The current culture war embraced by DeSantis and his followers is a good example, as was DeSantis’ crusade against Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Tenth is a populist form of elitism that includes contempt for the weak. DeSantis is known for such cruelty, going back to when he was a Navy officer at Guantanamo sitting in on — and, according to one victim, enjoying — torture sessions.
Eleventh: the myth of the hero. Fascism always has a strong leader who considers himself superior to everyone else. DeSantis’ attacks on Disney World and the CDC are good illustrations.
Twelfth is the “fetishizing of machismo” and “disdain for women and homosexuals,” enhanced by what Eco calls “the worship of guns as phallic symbols.” DeSantis projects a kind of machismo in his public image, including disdain for women in a harsh new abortion law and disdain for gays in his book bans. As for guns, he recently signed into law the right of all Florida citizens to carry a concealed gun anywhere — without a permit.
A thirteenth characteristic of fascism is “TV or Internet populism, in which the emotional response of a selected group of citizens can be presented and accepted as the Voice of the People.” DeSantis is a frequent guest on Fox News, Newsmax, and other right-wing platforms, which promote him in every way.
Finally, fascism uses “an impoverished vocabulary and an elementary syntax, in order to limit the instruments for complex and critical reasoning.” Though he’s well-educated, DeSantis uses simplified speech in public, and simplistic reasoning.
Like Trump, DeSantis, with support of a right wing legislature, is a demagogue, who scapegoats "the other" and emasculates local governmental authority.
Also see: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2023/02/17/desantis-florida-republicans-want-new-limits-local-governments/69912435007/
Umberto Eco of ‘The Name of the Rose’ fame? {Do I have that right?} I had not read anything else by him. Must dig him up {well, not literally…}.
[Quite an analysis of the Floridian Fascisti, though. Yep.
Mr. Hartmann’s discussion of the concept of “limited government” in light of aristocracy v. democracy is dead straight and SO important, too.
If by “government,” we refer to “power over us,” then limiting our system created by our DEMOCRACY only leaves more power in the hands of fewer wealthy individuals to “govern” our behavior. It’s an inherent contradiction in the foundational idea.
Egad, syntax and semantics … too complicated. I like Mr. Hartmann’s treatment of it. Wish I could get more people to read him.]
Great post, thanks!
Not ‘strongmen’ - wrong men. -- b.rad
One must never forget that almost(?) all the sins of the current Republican Party were kicked into high gear by Reagan and his cronies. There isn't sufficient torment anywhere in hell for Saint Ronnie.
Reagan was a B actor playing President for the USA, and the middle class cheered him on even as our living standards declined and our job losses became permanent.
Wonderful humor! Unfortunately, the MAGA folk are holding him on that horse and willing to go anywhere it takes them.
Just like they did ray gun Ronnie. Star wars for all!
One of the programmes I like here in France is preventative medicine. Which means we all get free breast scans/uterine cancer/prostate cancer etc.
Even though these might cost the taxpayer it allows less stress on hospitals. Illness caught early is extremely helpful to all of us and makes life less stressful.
I cannot understand the people who fight against healthcare/education etc.
The US is a mean/thoughtless country.
Sadly, when they identify with the millionaire, yeah, that happens. We are encouraged to revere them as “the ideal,” and there goes our judgment.
MY question is always:
Why did you people think that the status quo would last?
It's an interesting question and for once I would like a good debate on this.
I am sick of comments. You do not answer questions?
How did the US become a facist empire.
Clues: Let's talk about Reagan:
A lot of the middle class in the US voted for him.......why?
Is it because you were 'happy' being able to 'shop till you dropped?'
Is it because you forgot about people who were more 'needy' than you, and should 'pull themselves up by their bootstraps' and help the economy?
Is it because you thought you would never fail?
I am not interested in comments that don't answer the questions.
I do not want a diatribe!
Let's discuss this in a proper debate?
When I was younger I learned that debating was essential. I went to so many debates.
In the US a 'debate' is 2/3 people haranguing each other.....this is NOT a debate.
First Jenny, the left expected over population and pollution and starvation. You need to address your debate questions to the right-wing conservatives who HATE change! How about let them speak for themselves, because I cannot get a coherent answer from those religious followers of Armageddon apparently.
What 'left?'
You have no 'left' in the USA. IF you had you would have decent healthcare/education etc.
Democrats are NO different from the GOP
You are ruled by a 2 party system. One is right wing and the other is facist.
How are you going to change this?
We are going to reason with all of the wrong Wing conservatives! I dare say there is about 12 to 15% of Lefty's left. The religious groomers detaching children from reality and the mentally ill parents who never recovered from their parents mental illness from religion, coupled with a lack of caring about truth and worshiping money as God, coupled with a bunch of financial stress and anxiety, add 50 lbs. How will we the left change the wrong wingers? Encourage them all to eat Big Macs and raise all the children in agnostic communes is the only thing I can think of.
Ha!
I read and agree with all the reasons why government should not be limited. Having lived thru the VN war and Watergate during my formative ( read as university days) I became a full on progressive and so I finished school, got my profession and can go anywhere and live comfortably and so why do I care that the idiot magas ( low/middle socioeconomic class in particular) choose to put in office local as well as state and national politicos? No gun permits needed? I live in gated , well policed neighborhoods. No state tax and now suddenly a proposal to limit real estate taxes? I live in more expensive neighborhoods/communities where there is always funds for roads or parks or town centers. So why do I bother to be concerned about citizens with little critical thinking, self-deluded racists and homophobes? Because a rising tide elevates all boats. Whether they understand it or not it’s not just to their benefit ( of which they are oblivious) but mine as well. I don’t want gated ghettos of wealth or to fear public places amenable to mass shootings. The models are there in Scandinavia, Western Europe, Australia. Safer, better health care, and an educated electorate. We have the greatest military in the world. That’s about it.
Of course this the plan of the billionaires! Back to wild capitalism. The richest govern and screw the poor and middle class. No law to defend us, simple citizens, anymore. That will bring revolution and lots of blood on the streets. Why do think the police got military equipments for the last 10-15 years? That's the real conspiracy
The problem is IF one doesn't have a healthy people who the hell is going to do the work for these rich heathens?
[EDIT-Answering JennyStokes - who will do the work}
The same ones who did it for the kings and “lords” — the ones who don’t own anything and need the patronage of the wealthy who do own everything. {Isn’t it interesting that very deep pockets types are buying up houses across the country - often sight unseen - and turning them to rentals. Regular wage earners looking for their first home find their choices purchased right out from under them, time after time. People are now being “advised” to rent houses for a while, since it can be “cheaper” and easier than buying. }
When we no longer “own” anything, what does that portend….It even cuts down our sense of commitment to where we live, if our lives are entirely on a contingency basis … We are then not a community, but a bunch of people competing with our neighbors for the spoils left to us by the Owners - Oligarchs.
Yes I see the same.
SPOT ON AGAIN Thom
The willingness that the advantaged are crazy for more always more. There is no end to this desire. We all know that the cost of doing nothing for the poor and needy is far higher for society. Our thinking focused on keeping the unworthy out of the cookie jar is the path of denying the worthy of gaining access to what they deserve. Everyone still has to focus on what the Dem party will campaign on what we will do for society to uplift us to greater opportunities for as many as we can. It always is a good to do good. What are those 3 or 4 campaign issues and will the party repeat the issue sufficiently for the low information Dem base voters to get them to come to the polls.
Our problem is that nothing ever satisfies the greed of the already morbidly wealthy.
It takes great spiritual strength in order to not allow worldly energy to dominate. Few can deal properly with large wealth and those that can need to be in service to the people in order to keep it that way. Worldly energy makes these people work for it. They are not free.
The aristocratic oligarchs who control most of America today are no longer concerned with wealth for wealth's sake. For the uber riche the amount of money they possess is only important as signals in a ranking game, evidence of their place in a pecking order that is completely separate from the general population.
But at this stage of separation of the aristocratic class from the hoi polloi, wealth has a more important role - it is now mostly about power to control ALL aspects of society. The rich have always believed that they are rich because they are better than the rest of us - smarter, better genes, stronger morals. They believe they should be the ones to decide how society functions. Fascism is one of the tools they are working hard to forge, but the socio-economic end game is a 21st century version of feudalism.
Last week it was revealed that five dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc were removed from their libraries in Escambia County, Florida. Dictionaries were removed because they contained bad wokey words. If this is not the ultimate insult to intellectual integrity, I don't know what is. The dictionary is the recorded history of our intellectual evolution, where each word by it's singularity reveals, contributes to our intellecual growth. It thusly provides a concrete history. Compared to the Bible as recorded history, with it's ping-pong contradictions and incredibly gobdmackimg
assertions, as credible, reliable sources the dictionary clearly prevails. And the Dem Party's reaction to this hopelessly craven civil insult? Where a meaningful response might be reflected by quoting from the great Welsh poet's words--"Do not go gentle into that good night, rage, rage against the dying of the light.". But alas, the reaction is more reflected by another line from the same said poet--"All of the people in the lulled, dumbfound town are sleeping now".
If I were a Florida parent (I don’t live there and have no children,) I would be giving my kid supplemental lessons on everything DeSantis doesn’t want them to know. Even though I’m not a parent, education benefits society as a whole, and cultivating ignorance is harmful. We all benefit from educated citizens. Our thoroughly unresponsive Ohio General Assembly wants to adopt the Heritage Foundation’s equally ideological curriculum, which dumbs down our history.
If these people following trump realized the reality of just who he’s working for , the morbidly rich, the morbidly racist, the morbidly destructive corporations
Who were bestowed “the go ahead “ to be recognized as ‘citizens’ by the bribe taking Supremecist, Supreme Court.
Yes these are who the Republicans are working for. And then when these Control Freaks decide people’s most personal interests and outcomes they are making ‘ limited government’ as wide as their bigoted hearts can handle they show no concern for the personhood of the majority of non wealthy Americans .
This is the situation we’re in right now with the only restraints on violence and bigotry because Trump is a criminal who’s been voted out of the presidency and not in charge.
If he gets another chance to govern there will be an obstruction of personal rights along with violence against any oppositional entity. He’s been crystal clear in telling us these things . But he apparently is such a practiced liar that people see him as their personal savior. Forgive the blasphemy.
People following Trump have bought the current big lie , that Biden is orchestrating his demise by having him charged with ... wait for it .. all the felonies he committed while pretending to be a president . He’s a loathsome individual .
He has put the Bribed Republicans on the Court on notice that they are to comply with his lies. Let’s see what they do .
What the morbidly rich are really after is our labor---they want it as close to free as possible. The oldest story in the oldest books from the history of our world. In essence they want to own your life/time for as long as you are working for them, but when their need is full-filled you are on your own to try to stay healthy, feed, clothe, and shelter yourself and your family. And speaking of families, these greedy bastards have made that a "luxury" too.
Limiting the little-guy is what they do best by telling the lies you mentioned about limited government. We The People need to make them pay us---it really is that simple. We can't keep doing all the work and not benefit.
No more unfair low-cost labor---time to show we have ideas about limits too.
Thanks Thom -- I have met the government, and it is us.
People who claim to want ‘small government’ in our country want you and me out of it, as you show over and over again.
As you show yet again, ‘conservative’ is a Trojan word in this country, like so many others that have been corrupted ( though we could debate whether it ever was used faithfully here )
Trojan words are what I call ‘semantic infiltration,’ an academic term that doesn’t fit in the mouth, brought to mind for me by Lawrence O’Donnell, who cited his old boss Senator Moynihan in the 70s, who was quoting academics from the 60s. The simplest things . . . are not . . . so I propose ‘Trojan words.’
Fascists, Confederates, the KKK, misogynists, misers and that whole lot are *not* ‘conservative.’ As we all know and yet, we bobble our words and use the term . . . in our own mouths . . .
‘Right’ is the next maddening word on my list. There’s nothing right about them. But once someone reports that ‘the right wing’ or ‘the extreme right’ or just ‘the right’ has said something, regular people turn their brains off. You already said they’re right, why are you still talking?
What we are seeing is shallow vs deep, not ‘right’ vs ‘left,’ in my formulation. Shallow is intentional -- we are not going to think or pay attention -- and deep is aspirational, so a natural target for scorn and ignorance. But that’s what I see.
Right? I’ll leave it there, thanks again -- b.rad
Right means Godly and white means Godly. We should be calling them wrong wing and shallow thinkers. You are correct! Where did that term right-wing come from anyway? Satan Wing extremists is closer to the truth.
When someone says 'white supremacist,' of course first they should look at the subject . . . but I object strongly to trying to drag my pale ass into that snarling idiot cabal . . .after all, drool is not white ! -- b.rad
White supremacists are nothing more than an army of ignorant fools, one of the tools that the rich can use to keep us divided and fighting amongst ourselves, while they hoover up all the wealth and gain total control over society.
A MUST READ: Trump's War On Capitalism by David Stockman
Trump is the epitome of stupidity and gullible America thinks he'd be good for the economy
Another outstanding essay and great comments from readers.
Those who claim to want "limited government" (and they want to define what's limited) are playing a semantics game, of course. So those of us who disagree with the details of their version are for "unlimited government." What nonsense. Yet no doubt many of those whom they influence buy it.
Since privatization which took from the government and gave to the corporations and Rich didn't work out so well, the new hat trick for the rich is the word "limited"!
The purpose of the government is to keep the masses civilized so the merchants can prosper. The right in their greed always makes their nations look like a group of toddlers that got into the gallon size paint cans. Unfortunately the right wingers who are mostly religious reproduce more than the left, so democracy always fails and so does autocracy and theocracy.
Our leaders should be required to have over 130 IQ, be truth seekers and realists and rational thinkers, then maybe they could lead the blind to sanity? Those are the first ones whose heads will be on the chopping blocks with the fascists though.
"Limited" goes to states rights. 10th Amendment. "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
Dred Scott. Civil War. Plessy v. Ferguson. Slaughterhouse cases.
IMHO this goes to whether states are subject to due process and equal protection under the 14th Amendment or are "free" to deny their citizens civil rights and other benefits. Until SCOTUS found that Georgia businesses on interstate highways had to grant Black Americans civil rights, they were "free" to discriminate. The Commerce Clause provided authority to force private businesses to abide by Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, or national origin in public accommodations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_of_Atlanta_Motel,_Inc._v._United_States
Right wingers have been attempting to undermine 14th Amendment equal protection application to the states. E.G. in 2018 in Masterpiece Cakeshop, the Court stated that “religious and philosophical objections to gay marriage are protected views and in some instances protected forms of expression.” 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, the Supreme Court in June 2023 ruled that a Christian website designer cannot be required to create wedding websites for same-sex couples. The designer said that doing so would violate her religious beliefs.
THIS is certainly a distinction that makes a difference, and should be hollered far and wide, from every rooftop.
"“Limited government” means to take power away from governments elected by and answerable to the voters and hand that power off to massive, monopolistic corporations and the morbidly rich…". Yes! And please name names of the rich, and the roles they play. It is ironic that the head of Heritage, spokesman of the Koch billionaire network, goes to Davos and rails against the billionaire power represented there.