[change subject line in cheesey effort to get Max to read]
On Sun, 23 Sep 2001 at 8:43pm Doug Henwood wrote:
>
> It hurts me to say this, but when Buchanan says things
> like we can choose between a republic and our empire, I
> think that's something with a lot of potential
> resonance.
Well, Carrol seems to think there is no huge base to support a prolonged war. I read 'prolonged' as 'has significant American casualties' and agree. George the First abided by that rule and during the turkey shoot in Iraq the US lost about 150 persons. There was no great transformation of society afterwards, although repressive legislation passed during that time is still in effect.
This War on Terrorism is just gonna be like the War on Drugs on steroids. There won't be actual battles were White Boys die, there will just be lots of low level conflict with lots of Not White Boys dying and everybody's civil rights being eroded.
Buchanan's appeal? Why the populist impulse, of course. Gore Vidal is also a populist although his impulse is obviously 'left', not 'right'. Although I'm not always sure what 'left' and 'right' are when dealing with populism. I do admire Vidal's work a great deal and have read a huge portion of it, but something about his 'populism' always make me a little uncomfortable. I can never quite put my finger on what it is, but ... sometimes I hear a bit too much Buchanan when listening to V.
-- no Onan
Undefeated, everybody goes home