timed writing 031803

liberal fascism continues to reverberate in my thinking. it's not that i think the book is SOOOO great, it's flawed in many ways.
what the reverberation is all about (i think) has to do with
(a) what we hear on the news
and
(b) who is the enemy
let's take (a), though they're related. Obama, for example. his speech defending his nutso minister has to cast an enemy and who does he look for -- corporate america!
what goldberg is saying is that 1. corporations are not and have never been truly right wing (i.e. free market capitalists).... they are ostensibly about wealth creation (the show of ceo pay extravagance) but are now, have been and will always be involved in the world of partnering with government (ie fascism/ new deal). they do this sometimes as "good guys" (liberal corporations held in high regard for their support of liberal causes from environmentalism to gay marriage) and sometimes as "bad guys" -- ie. big tobacco who ultimately partnered with government to use their evil products to support states' general funds. (all with very little cognizance from the general public of the multiple ironies involved).

so "the enemy" (ie. the corporations -- how can free marketers be an enemy? they have no power) are ALREAY COOPERATING WITH GOVERNMENT and the WHOLE ARGUMENT either from the "left" (extreme would be nationalization -- from schools to health care) or the "right" (mcCain, i guess, getting them to do cap and trade on CO2 for example) is really all an argument about a degree of overtness in this "cooperation" which goldberg calls fascism.
so
what's the bottom line for me personally?
it's all a sham
there is NO ONE advocating free markets
it's all about leaning in one direction or another
at least economically

(i suppose you could still say there are differences in foreign policy, as obama is likely to extend his "we are all victims" philosophy to embrace the 'legit' grievances of terrorists.. thus
we are less likely to engage in aggressive wars or world policing, which means iran will get the bomb and china and others less hobbled by public opinion will rise in the world.)

the other thing
do i have to choose between writing and painting??
huh?