Comments on: Just Who is Losing His Marbles? An Answer to Hendrik Hertzberg

By: Alonzo Hamby

Alonzo Hamby — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:34:10 +0000

My own opinion is
that the “corporatist state” is/was a standard feature of fascism, but that
not all corporatist states are, or have been, fascist. It seems to me that
the essential elements of fascism are authoritarian rule (often thuggish)
and a hypernationalism often based on race or ethnicity.

I like to say these days that Russia and China have made a seamless
transition from communism to fascism. Same iron rule but a recognition that
capitalism and a capitalist class under the thumb of the state produce
better results than state socialism.

By: David Thomson

David Thomson — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:34:55 +0000

“I just think that the use of the word “fascism” is not conducive to such an analysis; indeed, it tends to short-circuit rational debate because of the emotional reaction it evokes on both sides.”

—Cathy Young

Nope, this is not quite accurate. Barack Obama is not a per se fascist. And yet, he and many of his admirers glorify and wish to replicate FDR’s New Deal—and that was substantially an attempt of some seventy years ago to turn the United States into something of a fascist country. Is it the fault of Ron Radosh, Jonah Goldberg, Wolfgang Schivelbusch and others to point this out? I don’t think so.

By: Real Clear Politics - News - Elections 2008 - Opinion - Commentary - TIME

Real Clear Politics - News - Elections 2008 - Opinion - Commentary - TIME — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:34:31 +0000

[...] we have a debate between my friend Ron Radosh and The New Yorker’s Hendrik Hertzberg on whether Obama’s policies are leading us toward “fascism [...]

By: The S-word and the F-word « The Y Files

The S-word and the F-word « The Y Files — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:10:09 +0000

[...] we have a debate between my friend Ron Radosh and The New Yorker’s Hendrik Hertzberg on whether Obama’s policies are leading us [...]

By: David Thomson

David Thomson — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:09:33 +0000

It must be added that Rick Hertzberg is not a spring chicken. He graduated from Harvard University in 1965! Think about that for a moment. Hertzberg is obviously an ill educated man. What in heaven’s name has he been doing for the last 44 years? He has apparently resided in some sort of left-wing echo chamber. Can you believe it? The dude is a major figure at the supposedly prestigious The New Yorker. Oh God, this is so sad. Hertzberg is a quintessential example of Harvard’s low standards and inflated degrees. If he’s one of the school’s winners—I’d hate to meet the losers.

We have every moral and intellectual reason to make fun of Hertzberg. We must make sure these Harvard University graduates earn what they get in life. They are not entitled to a free ride. The world does not owe them a thing.

By: JUST A NORMAL GUY

JUST A NORMAL GUY — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:30:15 +0000

WELL I AM A MODERATE POLITICLY BUT I COME HERE TO READ RON RADISH, HE IS JUST MAKING GOOD “HORSE’S SENSE,” AND I ALSO THINK HE SHOULD OF MENTIONED JOHN GOLDBURG’S BOOK “LIBERAL FACISM” WHICH REALLY A GOOD ONE FOR ALL TO READ, LIB OR REPUBLICAN.

By: Charlie Martin

Charlie Martin — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:20:29 +0000

I’m afraid Hertzberg’s understanding of the term fascism shows little historical knowledge.

His grasp of the term “psychosis” could use a little polishing too.

By: David Thomson

David Thomson — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:05:51 +0000

Rick Hertzberg is just another poorly educated graduate from Harvard University. He is a historical illiterate. And why should this surprise anyone? The feckless Barack Obama also attended this vastly overrated academic institution. The American left’s infatuation with Mussolini and fascism is well established. It is simply beyond dispute. The late John P Diggins, someone who was hardly a right-wing whack job, also well documented this phenomenon in his, Mussolini and Fascism;: The View from America. Jonah Goldberg’s more recent work is a scholarly work. I sense that he wrote it knowing full well that his enemies would exaggerate the importance of even minor mistakes. I highly recommend it.

We must get this through our heads: Harvard University’s liberal arts departments should often remind one of intellectual whorehouses. I suspect most of its soft science graduates are more similar to Caroline Kennedy and Al Gore, Jr. than John Adams. We should treat Harvard’s graduates as idiots until proven otherwise. The con job has been going on for way too long—and it has resulted in enormous harm to our country. We must put a stop to this nonsense as soon as possible.