i am interested, though, in what people think about my thought that rightwing ideology depends, at root, on mischaracterizing "the left" (which of course is everyone from lieberman to che to stalin to hitler).
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In my experience, this is indeed the heart of what has become of conservative ideology -- at least at the rank and file level -- in the US.
There are several people in my life (either via work associations or friendships...or, as is often the case, a mixture of the two) who're Bush supporters; a little or a lot less so now than at Bushevism's height but still in that general POV area.
During the Prez election season I began to hammer these folks to explain their continued support for Dubya despite all the duplicity, ineptitude and all the rest of it we've seen.
Because none of these women and men are particularly religious the whole Jesus archipelago -- the 'holding back the Gay agenda' and 'restoring America's values' memes, to name two prominent components -- held zero charms.
What did move them however was the notion that Kerry was a 'far left liberal' with a wildly radical, left wing agenda that would 'weaken America' and somehow damage capitalism.
When I explained, repeatedly, Kerry's background and portfolio -- offering evidence that he was best understood as an establishment figure through and through, a prominent part of the workings of the nation as it is, not as their nightmares have it I was waved away as a dreamer.
For them, it was impossible that Kerry was anything other than an extraordinary combination of Thurston Howell the 3rd <http://www.forbes.com/2002/09/13/400fictional_6.html> a stereotypical French effete and a flag burning hippie.
Similarly, the New York Times is the official organ of anti Americanism, despite its quite solid corporate pedigree and relentless cheer leading for invasion as War Plan Iraq's skull and crossbones flag was unfurled.
Without these fantasies, my debating opponents would have absolutely no ground to stand on. As we argued back and forth during those days, it became clear to me that they needed these shadows to keep the house of cards erect.
.d.
-- http://monroelab.net/ <<<<<>>>>> groove to my groove