Comments on: Prelude to the final act, Podrock? https://habitablezone.com/2018/07/16/prelude-to-the-final-act-podrock/ Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:20:24 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2018/07/16/prelude-to-the-final-act-podrock/#comment-41764 ER Tue, 17 Jul 2018 16:33:29 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=71915#comment-41764 The lack of a clear ideological position or philosophy in Libertarianism provides perfect cover for all sorts of extremists, from fascists to Marxists (Noam Chomsky once described himself as a "Libertarian Socialist"). Libertarianism most resembles the 19th century ideology known as Anarchism, as espoused by Elisee Reclus, Pyotr Kropotkin and many others. Anarchists did not actually believe in Anarchy, they were simply opposed to all hierarchical forms of government and business. They had no problem with people owning personal property, such as clothes or houses, but felt ownership of the means of production had to be administered publicly. They recognized that humans were social animals and needed to organize to do anything collectively, you need workers and bosses; they simply argued that all collectives should be democratically run. Governments and corporations might be necessary, but they should be structured by free elections in which all the employees/citizens could participate on an equal basis, as voters, officers or leaders. Libertarians certainly demand that structure in government, but prefer the traditional ownership model for business. Basically, a Libertarian is an Anarchist who wants to own a business and boss his employees around. The lack of a clear ideological position or philosophy in Libertarianism provides perfect cover for all sorts of extremists, from fascists to Marxists (Noam Chomsky once described himself as a “Libertarian Socialist”).

Libertarianism most resembles the 19th century ideology known as Anarchism, as espoused by Elisee Reclus, Pyotr Kropotkin and many others. Anarchists did not actually believe in Anarchy, they were simply opposed to all hierarchical forms of government and business. They had no problem with people owning personal property, such as clothes or houses, but felt ownership of the means of production had to be administered publicly. They recognized that humans were social animals and needed to organize to do anything collectively, you need workers and bosses; they simply argued that all collectives should be democratically run. Governments and corporations might be necessary, but they should be structured by free elections in which all the employees/citizens could participate on an equal basis, as voters, officers or leaders.

Libertarians certainly demand that structure in government, but prefer the traditional ownership model for business. Basically, a Libertarian is an Anarchist who wants to own a business and boss his employees around.

]]> By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2018/07/16/prelude-to-the-final-act-podrock/#comment-41763 ER Tue, 17 Jul 2018 12:08:09 +0000 https://habitablezone.com/?p=71915#comment-41763 The leadership of the GOP decides Trump has become a liability and he needs to step down. By "GOP leadership" I don't mean the traditional Chamber of Commerce, Wall Street, National Review, Country Club Republicans of the Establishment, but the Tea Party, Freedom Caucus, Libertarian crowd that has replaced them. You know, the Rand Redneck Right. I suspect Ted Cruz and Newt Gingrich will play a major role in this effort. Trump will be collared and told he must resign, perhaps using some health issue as face-saver; if he doesn't his own party will destroy him by disclosing whatever dirt they have on him (you know they must have a shitload, more than anything Putin might have). They can also threaten to mount their own bipartisan anti-Trump campaign alongside the Democrats. Or they can just make something up. They are certainly capable of it, remember Birtherism and Benghazi? The major problem will not be getting Trump to step down, but to salvage as much of the Trump program and his Deplorable constituency as they can after he does. They will somehow have to cover his departure or dismissal as some sort of fiendish Liberal plot. I'm sure the Talk Radio/Fox News machine will be able to prep the knuckle draggers appropriately. In fact, for them, it will be a ratings bonanza. We all have seen how the New Right revels in their own victimhood. No doubt they will paint it all as a vast conspiracy put together by Obama and the Clintons. The leadership of the GOP decides Trump has become a liability and he needs to step down. By “GOP leadership” I don’t mean the traditional Chamber of Commerce, Wall Street, National Review, Country Club Republicans of the Establishment, but the Tea Party, Freedom Caucus, Libertarian crowd that has replaced them. You know, the Rand Redneck Right. I suspect Ted Cruz and Newt Gingrich will play a major role in this effort.

Trump will be collared and told he must resign, perhaps using some health issue as face-saver; if he doesn’t his own party will destroy him by disclosing whatever dirt they have on him (you know they must have a shitload, more than anything Putin might have). They can also threaten to mount their own bipartisan anti-Trump campaign alongside the Democrats. Or they can just make something up. They are certainly capable of it, remember Birtherism and Benghazi?

The major problem will not be getting Trump to step down, but to salvage as much of the Trump program and his Deplorable constituency as they can after he does. They will somehow have to cover his departure or dismissal as some sort of fiendish Liberal plot. I’m sure the Talk Radio/Fox News machine will be able to prep the knuckle draggers appropriately. In fact, for them, it will be a ratings bonanza. We all have seen how the New Right revels in their own victimhood.

No doubt they will paint it all as a vast conspiracy put together by Obama and the Clintons.

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