Comments on: Oh Canada, Free Mark Steyn! http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/07/oh-canada-free-mark-steyn/ What's Going On Here? Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:49:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Jake http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/07/oh-canada-free-mark-steyn/#comment-221192 Jake Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:46:36 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/07/oh-canada-free-mark-steyn/#comment-221192 True... but if you follow Goldberg's argument, the centrailized, top down, statist nature of Progressive movements more often lead to indiscriminate and anti-democratic use of police and military powers than de-centralized, market oriented, traditionalist (conservative) governments. Communism and Fascism are the most obvious examples. But Goldberg spends a lot of time describing the Progressive movement in the Unites States, its parallels with the above, its abuses of power (imagine if Bush tried to "pack the courts", or put Arab-American citizens in concentration camps!), and its general tendency to use police and military powers more indiscriminately than conservative governments (again, imagine Bush using the IRS to investigate his political enemies, as Clinton did). Anyway, it seems to me all the folksy "give peace a chance" stuff goes out the window when a sitting liberal president thinks war will help his/her political prospects. I bring you Wilson/Roosevelt/Truman/Kennedy/Johnson/Clinton. True… but if you follow Goldberg’s argument, the centrailized, top down, statist nature of Progressive movements more often lead to indiscriminate and anti-democratic use of police and military powers than de-centralized, market oriented, traditionalist (conservative) governments. Communism and Fascism are the most obvious examples. But Goldberg spends a lot of time describing the Progressive movement in the Unites States, its parallels with the above, its abuses of power (imagine if Bush tried to “pack the courts”, or put Arab-American citizens in concentration camps!), and its general tendency to use police and military powers more indiscriminately than conservative governments (again, imagine Bush using the IRS to investigate his political enemies, as Clinton did). Anyway, it seems to me all the folksy “give peace a chance” stuff goes out the window when a sitting liberal president thinks war will help his/her political prospects. I bring you Wilson/Roosevelt/Truman/Kennedy/Johnson/Clinton.

]]> By: Terry http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/07/oh-canada-free-mark-steyn/#comment-221007 Terry Sat, 08 Mar 2008 12:49:16 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/07/oh-canada-free-mark-steyn/#comment-221007 I understand your point, having listened to Goldberg sell his book on Hewitt's show (but not having read it). I'm talking about the contemporary left, however, not the "liberal fascists" Goldberg writes of. A lot of lefties I know are more concerned about abuses of military and police powers that they are about humans rights commissions of the sort that are persecuting Steyn for his bad thoughts -- especially if those thoughts happen to offend certain classes of people cherished by liberals. I understand your point, having listened to Goldberg sell his book on Hewitt’s show (but not having read it). I’m talking about the contemporary left, however, not the “liberal fascists” Goldberg writes of.

A lot of lefties I know are more concerned about abuses of military and police powers that they are about humans rights commissions of the sort that are persecuting Steyn for his bad thoughts — especially if those thoughts happen to offend certain classes of people cherished by liberals.

]]> By: Jake http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/07/oh-canada-free-mark-steyn/#comment-220730 Jake Sat, 08 Mar 2008 06:11:28 +0000 http://tcextra.com/terrycowgill/2008/03/07/oh-canada-free-mark-steyn/#comment-220730 "...while the left is wary of police and military powers, for example." The number one best selling non-fiction book in America today spends 100 pages giving evidence on how the above statement is untrue. According to Jonah Goldberg, the most abusive use of police powers in American history were under the Wilson and second Roosevelt administrations. “…while the left is wary of police and military powers, for example.”

The number one best selling non-fiction book in America today spends 100 pages giving evidence on how the above statement is untrue. According to Jonah Goldberg, the most abusive use of police powers in American history were under the Wilson and second Roosevelt administrations.

]]>