Comments on: E. J. Dionne, Obama, and the return of socialism

By: Common Sense and Wonder » The Return of Socialism

Common Sense and Wonder » The Return of Socialism — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:38:33 +0000

[...] from Roger Kimball a piece about the Socialists coming out of the closet to support Obama. I wondered when the socialists [...]

By: Michael Lonie

Michael Lonie — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 05:23:10 +0000

K,
That’s a real estate agent saying: “The place is a dump and looks frumpish.”

By: K

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 06:34:21 +0000

OT: I’ve read “The Long March. . ” and will soon be ordering “The Rape of the Masters. Hence, I thought this might interest you.

http://www.sellmodern.com/listing-British+Columbia+Modern+Homes++Maurer+House++Naramata+Canada-224.html

This is a real estate website which specializes in selling houses of contemperary architectural design.
The house listed is essentially a mid century modern which has been built recently in Canada. I thought the sales person’s attempt at description of a modernist era house design in post modernist terms was so precious that I had to share it:

“The Modern period is now 80 years old and has become a tradition. This house reminds us that Modernity is a philosophy, not a style: It is the style of no-style, the believe in democratic values, modesty, directness, abstinence from fluff and symbols. It says that Art is about creation, not acquisition. It argues the value of rigorous unity of structure and finish, of form and content. It pleads economy, sustainability, soundness, and function. In its light and sketchy elegance and mature use of technology and resources this house makes an important and timely statement.”

By: John N. Frary

John N. Frary — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 05:50:30 +0000

Back at the Dawn of the Sixties when the “Great Society” was fresh, the liberals has plans for everything. Keynesian economics was going to put paid to the business cycle. Rehabilitation would cure criminals. Root causes of all kinds of things were going to be uprooted. There was even some talk of a Dept. of Leisure to guide the population in socially productive past-times.

Now these grand visions have been replaced by the insipid thesis that Government is a good thing and there ought to be more of it.

By: Mark Woodworth

Mark Woodworth — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:47:30 +0000

I often see a form of argument that goes: a policy is not perfect, therefore anything that is not that policy is preferable.

You see this in complaints about the war: the execution of the war is not perfect, so it was a mistake to have pursued it at all.

It seems to me that the complaint against freedom mentioned here is similar: market capitalism is not perfect, so whatever I recommend to replace it must be better.

Yes, the market is not perfect: many of its strongest supporters can only muster two cheers for capitalism. But nothing is perfect, and pointing out imperfections is less compelling an argument than some of its practitioners seem to believe.

By: ricpic

ricpic — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:05:39 +0000

They want power. If they have to tear down the whole world to get it…so be it. Really, when you think of the volume of suffering their insane anti-reality agenda will bring down on the heads of the very people they purport to care about…
There is only one conclusion possible: the Left is a criminal enterprise.

By: dragonfly

dragonfly — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:38:24 +0000

It is good to read somebody who is willing to come right out and talk about SOCIALISM, instead of “LEFTISM” – a vague, wishy-washy euphemism that he academics hide behind. And we let them.

We face one over-riding issue in this election – the rise of radical socialism within the Democrat party to the degree that they have been able to place a committed, life-long believer as their nominee for the Presidency. We had better start calling it what it is.

By: jg

jg — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:49:47 +0000

Great article. Don’t expect logic or even awareness of the meaning of terms from the proponents of socialism. Dionne et al. write as if they don’t know the name of what they propose.

Deference to Barney Frank’s economic acumen is comic relief. Give Dionne credit, he made a funny.

Finally, Roger, please do use “heterodoxy” and “post hoc” and “propter hoc.” Dionne et al. will not understand, but they don’t want to. So I hope you continue to use your vocabulary and command of logic.

By: Steynian 195 « Free Mark Steyn!

Steynian 195 « Free Mark Steyn! — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:10:57 +0000

[...] ROGER KIMBALL– “E. J. Dionne, Obama, and the return of socialism” …. [...]

By: Fresh Air

Fresh Air — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:29:07 +0000

It’s no different than the so-called end of the “American Century.” I’m with Tom Wolfe, we’ve got about eight more of those to go. Here we have another bien pensant who thinks Europe has everything pretty much figured out. His facts haven’t been adjusted in about 20 years. In another 20 socialism will be permanently discredited, but like Arthur Schlesinger, Dionne will go to his grave proclaiming he was right.