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@blatham,

blatham wrote:

A bit more on Joni Ernst. She has refused to sit down with editorial staff of key state newspapers including the Des Moines Register (which endorsed Romney last cycle). She's doing a Sarah Palin/Sharron Angle thing of hiding her extremisms and stupidhood. So the DMR went the other way on their endorsement. How extreme is the lady, you might ask?

It appears there are different interpretations of "extreme" out there, and yours doesn't reflect that of the majority of Iowa voters. I hadn't followed the early campaigns as closely as did you, but I find this particular candidate (now Senator-elect) rather engaging, and not stupid at all. I'll agree she appears to embrace all the old values that often appear to so infuriate progressives with their own ideas for our 'collective' futures.

I thought the castrating pigs story & metaphor was teriffic. No "war on women" there !

1 Reply

@georgeob1,

I have seen this woman on TV and adjudge her unfit for public office.
Nice teeth, though.
Let's hope before she sinks out of sight she doesn't make the fuss Palin was able to make.
Coulter, Palin, Bachmann, and now Ernst...the four horsewomen of what?

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@McTag,

Gosh ! That sounds a bit sexist.

She does have nice teeth, and I didn't much like here reflexive laughing, but I admire her focus and energy - as well as that of the other women you mentioned.

I've always thought that Margaret Thatcher had more balls than most British Labor PMs Attlee, Wilson, Browne, etc. Is that a reflection on the British political left?

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@georgeob1,

Mussolini and Hitler had plenty of focus, and you couldn't fault them for energy either.

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@McTag,

Yeah, but they didn't have pearly white teeth (and both were crypto socialists. something the lady in question certainly is not).

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@georgeob1,

I've noticed, even from this far perspective, the lack of socialism apparent.

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people..."?

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@McTag,

I suppose that Crypto-Socialism is a pejorative term for the secret support for, or admiration of Socialism. (Analogue to the more common term "Crypt-Fascism".)

It must have been a very secret support here in Germany, hidden well behind the imprisonment of Socialists in concentration camps.

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@McTag,

Democracy is not socialism and doesn't require it. Lots of examples of this out there.

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@Walter Hinteler,

The ruthless Nazi suppression of their political rivals shouldn't be confused with a real desire for free market capitalism. Hitler appeared to be mostly an authoritarian opportunist in pursuit of his strange visions. The party started out with a strong Socialist bent that was gradually overcome with that opportunism. All that said, centralized control of the economy and labor markets was a core element of their system.

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In order to make the concept of socialism work...it had to bastardize into an amalgam of socialism and free enterprise. That bastardization does seem to be working in places like Russia and China. They seem to have learned...and are making strides.

In order for the concept of capitalism to work...it had better bastardize into an amalgam of free enterprise and socialism. Or it is going to be a bright flash of light that worked well under favorable conditions...but was not able to endure. Whether the crazies on the right will allow us to make the necessary adjustments is still to be determined.

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@georgeob1,

No doubt it was a centralised - exactly that's defines the Nazis' ideology. But it had (has) nothing to do with Socialism (besides in the name - you certainly know that they changed the party's name to it; and why they did so).

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@Walter Hinteler,

As I indicated the Nazis certainly didn't practice free market capitalism. The government controlled just about everything including labor unions. I agree they weren't social democrats. However the centrally controlled economy and labor markets more closely resembeled socialism than a free society and economy.

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@Frank Apisa,

Frank Apisa wrote:

In order for the concept of capitalism to work...it had better bastardize into an amalgam of free enterprise and socialism. Or it is going to be a bright flash of light that worked well under favorable conditions...but was not able to endure. Whether the crazies on the right will allow us to make the necessary adjustments is still to be determined.[/b]

What we and the rest of the Western world, from Finland to Australia, have today is an amalgum of free market capitalism, government regulation, and social democrat policies. It is already "bastardized" to use your inelegant phrase.

Russia is an economic basket case. China is still evolving and moving (slowly) in the direction of more capitalism and (slightly) more individual freedom. There are, at present, no serious competitors to the amalgamated capitalist system we presently have, and I believe the "flash of light" you describe will last a long time.

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@georgeob1,

georgeob1 wrote:

However the centrally controlled economy and labor markets more closely resembeled socialism than a free society and economy.

I know that this is the opinion of many American conservatives.
A study of the NSDAP's history and that of Socialist parties of the same period would give some help to get a different view.

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@Walter Hinteler,

And I know well that many smug Westphalians disagree with my views. However I persevere.

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@georgeob1,

georgeob1 wrote:

Frank Apisa wrote:

In order for the concept of capitalism to work...it had better bastardize into an amalgam of free enterprise and socialism. Or it is going to be a bright flash of light that worked well under favorable conditions...but was not able to endure. Whether the crazies on the right will allow us to make the necessary adjustments is still to be determined.[/b]

What we and the rest of the Western world, from Finland to Australia, have today is an amalgum of free market capitalism, government regulation, and social democrat policies. It is already "bastardized" to use your inelegant phrase.

Russia is an economic basket case. China is still evolving and moving (slowly) in the direction of more capitalism and (slightly) more individual freedom. There are, at present, no serious competitors to the amalgamated capitalist system we presently have, and I believe the "flash of light" you describe will last a long time.

Yes, I understand that you do, George.

I respectfully suggest you are almost certainly very wrong.

And I can only hope that more open minds than yours prevail.

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@georgeob1,

Your analysis, George, reminds me of 1984, when I was a crew member of the official regatta boat of the Joint Support Service at the Kiel Week.
At the reception by commanding officer of Kiel base, he told me that he'd thought until now, I'd been a member of the "town guerilla" - not because I didn't have my badges on the shoulders but because I ... was wearing red socks.

I could convince him about rank. But he was only a commander ...

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@Walter Hinteler,

Red socks ! That would have got you in trouble on my ship ! However, I was a lighthearted, amiable captain who could usually recognize the good qualities beneath the surface in otherwise well-intentioned offenders. I would have3 let you off easy. Wink

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@georgeob1,

Well, his position was just administrative. And there had been actually some severe trouble during that year's Kiel Week by "demonstrators". (We hardly could sleep at night, because our rooms were in the barracks of the base's naval protection company.)
And during that week, we often had to piddle in hand bailers [calm weather], so red socks really were a minor affair ... Very Happy

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@georgeob1,

It is long acknowledged in many quarters to be true, that the American system of government is the best that money can buy.

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