Doug Henwood wrote:
>
> On Feb 19, 2010, at 8:55 AM, Chip Berlet wrote:
>
> > There is no connection to the mass base of the Tea Party movement
> > and the potential for fascism?
>
> I know that ideology exists in a non-simple relationship with material
> interest and political outcomes, but the TPers are fiendishly anti-
> statist, esp central-statist. That's the opposite of fascism, if that
> word retains any meaning. They have a lot in common with long-standing
> traditions in right populism, American style. Was that always
> potentially fascist, or is it just that way now?
I think I would agree with Chip here. That fiendish anti-state element in current rightis thought is deceptive, being focused on governmental service programs, NOT on the police power of the state, which I think they worship as much as they hate social services provided by the stte.
Some o fthem probably hate government intefering with the sacred relationship between (small) employer and his/her workforce, but they also fear crime. Populism, left or right, has always been a totally incoherent politicla tendency, and what links opposing tendencies within it is FEAR. I don't know if this is Chip's argument or not.
Car4rol