On Election Day, Kool-Aid for Everyone

Without a doubt, today's election is one of the most iconic in history. Yet the outcome should not have to be a surprise, as one of the candidates - Barack Obama - judged by his past record, is the anti-candidate in more ways than one.

When he blames the philosophy of the past eight years for the financial collapse, he lays the fault at free market economics. Contrary to what Mr Soros may believe, free market capitalism is not an ideology, let alone a false one (he calls it "free market fundamentalism").

Capitalism is the corollary of individual rights. Individual rights follow from the notion that the world is knowable and that reason is the proper instrument for its exploration. This is what lays at the very root of America's foundation.

Mr Soros is not an American, and he doesn't run for the highest office. But his proxi - Barack Obama - does (even with his 'natural born' status in limbo - see Berg vs. Obama, below). It is no wonder Obama isn't particularly bothered by the nefarious invective of the Reverend Wright, since on a very basic level, he must agree with him.

Barack Obama blames America's founding philosophy for the evils for the financial collapse. Barack Obama is the most anti-American candidate to have ever run for office.

This all important election day, let's reach across the aisle and accept the PUMA counsel:

Obama Crimes: "Please do not forget the reason for Berg versus Obama, et al."

If a Presidential candidate would rather litigate and use legal technicalities to obfuscate, instead of answering and providing the proof of a very simple question, "are you qualified and/or eligible pursuant to the United States Constitution to serve as President of the United States", why would you vote for him, when he and his party says you have absolutely NO right and NO STANDING to question him/them. (...) >>>

Here's more ...

Hillbuzz: "WARNING: this is how Election Day is going to go down. Do not get sucked in, Eeyores!"

The Obamedia is going to do to you what they did to Hillary supporters during the primaries — they are going to lie, and float all sorts of incorrect exit polls, and start revving up to declare Obama the winner.

Drudge Report — mark our words — is going to run that flashing red/blue siren he loves to report McCain losing all sorts of traditional Republican states around midday. He’s going to get all of you Eeyores hyperventilating.

The goal of the Obamedia is to depress you so much you don’t turn out to vote. (...) Here’s our advice: take a break from news today (...) McCain wins 286-252…and America gets its first female Vice President. And on November 5th, we start campaigning for 2012. >>>

... and ...

Just Say No Deal: "we are a coalition of millions with one thing in common: NObama"

"(obama) could never get a security clearance"
dick morris
11.3.08
(say what
you want
'bout him,
but it's true)

Amen to that - then go vote ...



Related (updated throughout with the Best of the Blegosphere):

- Dr Slogan: "Kings are Made, Presidents are Elected - Your Country, Your Call" (video)

- WSJ: "Argentina Legalizes Plunder" (video)

- Townhall blog Penetrating Insights into the Obvious: "Millions of Early Obama Voters Say Oops!" (image: click to enlarge-recommended)


- Filed on Articles in "Americana" -

The Third Debate in Bits and Bites

... from the one hundred percent pure 95% scam, to throwing a spanner in the works to stop The Gang of Three, with Mighty Mitt ...




... to pulling the plug on "Spread the Wealth Around" (or recorded confessions of a crypto Marxist to Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher), instead it's Cut the Pork, Kill the Terrorists - and more advice to Plant it on the Deck ...




... we stand corrected ... he's no crypto Marxist, that's closeted Socialist to you ... Joe, who did his sums, is even more scared now - here he is himself with more revelations on the class war ... ¿Qué? ... the class war (audio) ... oh and by the way- Joe didn't experience 'a presence' ...



- Unfiled -

Welcome to Pomo Lingo: Alert John McCain

- fibs and lies - gross exaggeration and hyperbole - posturing - fake hatred and hysterics (rage! rage! rage!) - genuine hatred and hysterics (rage! rage! rage!) - disinformation - emotional blackmail - incitement to violence - sentimental whining - false analogy and equivalence - (reversed) sophistry - in your face tactics and ad hominem attacks - para-exegese (deliberate misinterpretation or overexplanation) - massive imprecision - manipulation - proud irrationality - unremitting and deliberate confusion of terms - tactical mixing of facts and opinion - equivocation - inverse morality - false analogy -
_____________________________________

It's about time to revisit the wonderful world of Pomo Lingo! A new awareness campaign is indicated, because the Republican candidates happen to be the latest unsuspecting victims of its vicious intricacies.

Perhaps we should clarify once more that "the Democratic Party has been hijacked by fanatics. It can no longer claim the heritage of Truman, JFK, Barbara Jordan, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Scoop Jackson, Zell Miller. Instead, the party has been overrun by parasites and subversives (...)". That would be, what are loosely termed Postmodernists, an amalgam of Kant/Hegel followers who are all in possession of the same collectivist and subjective mindsets. They liked to refer to reason as "the whore of the Enlightenment". Go figure.

In a recent post we explained that one Pomo way of shutting up an opponent is the racial slur, or any other expression of political correctness: it imposes self-censorship.

A striking example from the campaign trail is the mindboggling chutzpah of Gov. David Paterson, referring to the McCain-Palin ticket as "vampires" and "blood suckers," while a day or so later accusing them of racism. Paterson has devised a delightful Postmodern thing no one has ever heard of: satirizing the profession of community organizing is "racist code"! Who would have thought ...

It's Subjectivism in action: two parties, two standards: he - Paterson - is allowed to violate any standard of polite human interaction, while at the same time building a trumped up case against his opponents. See it if you will, as the redistribution of speech rights.

It's very clever, and it works like positive discrimination: the more victimhood, the more speech rights (in tone, decibels, duration, weight and offensiveness). Paterson is very justified in his action because he - as a Democrat - is speaking in the name of all victimhood.

John McCain - like the gentleman that he is - unawares of the booby traps set by Pomo lingo, has already fallen in line. Very effective, is Pomo lingo.

You could say that in a way, Postmodernists are beyond caring if they're making sense or not, let alone if they're fit for polite society. Of course they aren't consistent, which would call for one set of rules for everyone: their rage is entirely justified and healthy blowing off steam, whereas John McCain is a raging, certifiable geriatric (code word: erratic).

The expediency of Pragmatism says: so what - the end justifies the means - our end is so 'ethical', that unethical tactics are allowed.

Looking and hearing Pomos in action one often thinks of National Socialist ideologue Joseph Goebbels, who said that if you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. Think of the myths surrounding the Iraq war! Postmodernists - sharing with the National Socialists the anti-reason roots of Kantian and Hegelian thought, often practice that same sort of audacity (dare I use that word, or would that qualify as 'code for fascists'?).

For all of the above reasons, debates with Pomos are not very well possible. For one thing, since they reject there's any objective truth to arrive at in the first place, there's no one party who is right and another who is in the wrong. Logically speaking, this would include themselves, but then we come to more expediency - 'we don't do unevolved logic.'

But more than anything else - and here the irrational plot thickens to even more frightening proportions - they aren't after truth, AND their gut feeling tells they are right ... anyway, they're after winning, one way of another, pitting sheer Will against reason (!).

So key are: irrationality, subjectivity, will and expediency, end justifies the means mentality, we are right, whatever ...

Another mistake is to expect precision of terms. Definitions are pliable and totally depend on the person's point of view at a given moment in time.

From the campaign trail: the indignation about the fake accusation that Barack Obama is a "terrorist."

Two things are happening here: para-exegesis and fake rage. The para-exegesis is the deliberate misinterpretation of the accusation. No one - except perhaps a hapless pundit giving way to prolonged provocation - has accused Obama of being a terrorist. The real morality behind the problem of hobnobbing with Ayers is the lack of judgment, promoting Sandinista type school councils (LSCs), making the Presidency vulnerable to blackmail, and showing a pattern of associating with the enemies of the land, a trait bordering treasonous behavior.

It takes some getting used to recognizing and rebutting Pomo lingo. If we have the choice, it is best not to 'debate' them at all. They cannot be persuaded of any opinion other than their own and, frustration through lack of objectivity mounting, will only result in shouting matches and ad hominem attacks on their part, and bewildered confusion on the other (which is precisely what was intended).

However since we must, given the nature of democratic process, would suggest finding a way to deal with their utter dishonesty, and formulate a proper answer to their Declaration of Total Culture War - they would.

More examples of Pomo lingo and Pomo 'logic' in notes to this post:

"What follows are more examples of Postmodern 'logic' excerpted from a post by author Victor Davis Hanson. He laments the lack of objectivity and poses the rhetorical question: why are the Democrats, while far viler and meaner, given much more moral ley way than the Republicans (...) >>>

Update:

... this entire thing of 'nasty McC and his mad followers' has all the hallmarks of a classic agitator set-up ... I'll tell ya, the media are either in the tank or exceedingly stupid (and no one would ever believe that) ... American Thinker: "Sabotaging GOP rallies", here in original: WSJ: "The Angry Right-Some disturbing--and embarrassing--behavior by McCain supporters" (...)

- Filed on Articles in "The Pomo White House" and "Postmodern Ravage"

Headlines for the 2nd Presidential Debate (update)

This freakin' thing that is making the rounds since yesterday and is constantly being pulled, is still in working order at the time of publication. If it stops, Newsbusters have a fairly accurate description: these are the forces at work here - take a peek into the crystal ball ...

... the following headlines caught the eye of our editor:

The Boston Globe has statistics on the debates so far.

... STOP PRESS ... this is really getting creepy:

NYT: "Kenya Detains U.S. Author Critical of Obama"

NAIROBI, Kenya — The American author of a best-selling book highly critical of Senator Barack Obama was detained by Kenyan immigration agents on Tuesday as he prepared to give a press conference in Nairobi. Jerome R. Corsi, the conservative gadfly who wrote “The Obama Nation,” in which he attacks the Democratic presidential candidate, was being held Tuesday because he was trying to work in Kenya without a valid work permit, according to local media reports. The reports said that Mr. Corsi would likely be deported. Elias Njeru, a spokesman for Kenya’s immigration department, said, “His immigration forms were not in order.” (...) >>>

... this is no coincidence: read more on Barack "Obama's Character and Kenya Association" ...

~

Twitter is one huge echo chamber, all true believer o'bots repeating the talking points: "Brack aint no terrist" - "play guilt by association big time" - "McCain erratic" - "Palin and McCain igniting Hate" - "Palin is a total creep and total creeps love her" - it's pathetic ... is the O'church entirely made up of unhinged twelve year olds?

~

WSJ: "About That Middle-Class Tax Cut . . . - Remember the last time a charismatic Democrat made such a promise?"

"It's like déjà vu all over again." (...) Back when Mr. Clinton was campaigning for president in 1992, he made a pretty direct pitch: Raise taxes on people making more than $200,000, and use those revenues to fund tax relief for the "forgotten middle class."(...) He followed with a pledge: "Now, I'll tell you this," he said. "I will not raise taxes on the middle class to pay for these programs. If the money does not come in there to pay for these programs, we will cut other government spending, or we will slow down the phase-in of the programs." Mr. Clinton, of course, won that election. And as the inauguration approached, he began backtracking (...) he claimed that it was the media that had played up a middle-class tax cut (...) On page one of the New York Times, the paper described the fate of the middle-class tax cut this way: "Families earning as little as $20,000 a year -- members of the 'forgotten middle class' whose taxes he promised during his campaign to cut -- will also be asked to send more dollars to Washington under the President's plan." In some ways, we are today reliving the campaign of 1992. (...) Give Sen. Obama his due. His patter is direct and easy to understand. (...) Congress is even less popular than the president (...) the need for a Republican check on a Democratic Washington is a potent argument. That was one of the lessons from the Clinton years. (...) >>>

~

... if they want they nail you any which way - as a journalist, she should now ... it accounts for the miraculous metamorphosis from a stuttering dimwit to a sparkling debater who takes on "The Mouth" ...

WSJ: "Palin on Couric: ‘The Sarah Palin in Those Interviews Is Annoyed’"

Vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin blamed her failure to come up with a single newspaper that she reads or a Supreme Court decision that she disagrees with besides Roe v. Wade on — you betcha — the media. Her interview with CBS’s Katie Couric, where she stumbled on those questions, was widely mocked, though her performance in Thursday’s vice-presidential debate was generally well received. In the wake of the debate, she granted an interview to Fox News where she tried to explain what happened in the interview with Couric. “Honestly, the Sarah Palin in those interviews is annoyed,” the Alaska governor said. “No matter what you say, you will get clobbered on the answer. (...) she said she reads the New York Times and the Economist. (...) >>>

~

... googling for an article on a women's group that yesterday endorsed Palin (which we didn't get) instead what we got was this orgy of hatred ... (and that is the MSM!), which reminds us of a truly psychiatric case on a woman, who not only projected her own failings 101 on Palin, but also blamed the Republican Party for it ... for having Palin flung in her face for the way they did ... truly mind-boggling and fairly common ...

PJM: "Ask Dr. Helen: How Do You Deal With a Palin Hater? - When political passion becomes obsessive and unhealthy."

~

... Fred J. Eckert has precious advise for John McCain ...

PJM: "McCain Must Wake Up and Quit Pussyfooting Around"

McCain needs to come out of his slumber (...) first vehemently attacks Obama and the Democrats over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and compellingly demonstrates the extent of their complicity in the colossal failure as well as the depth of their corruption. (...)

The guy who keeps boasting that he will name the names behind comparatively small time pork barrel if he becomes president had better name the names behind the massive Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac disasters (...) call a news conference (...) demand that Chris Dodd immediately resign (...) that Barney Frank immediately resign (...) that an investigation be launched into the propriety of permitting Barney Frank to oversee Fannie May while his “significant other” serves as a top Fanny May executive (...) that Obama either join with him in calling for a punishment of such an outrageously poor performance or else explain why he won’t. (...) that Obama and Dodd and Frank and all others who raked in money from Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac return those funds and that they make the checks out to the U.S. Treasury. Ask Obama why he selected to be one of his advisers the CEO who ran Fanny Mae into the ground while pocketing some $90 million in six years (...) ask what he was thinking (...)

Put into TV ads video clips of those four-years-ago Congressional hearings about the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight report regarding illegal bookkeeping practices at Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac and warning of looming disaster. It is easy to prove that Republicans took the warning seriously and that every Democrat involved opposed action, arguing “we do not have a crisis” (...) educate the country to the fact that when it all finally did hit the fan, the Democrats tried to pull yet another fast one on the American people by attempting to slip into the $700 million financial rescue plan a provision that would have take 20% of the money for debt retirement and instead earmark it into the coffers of a radical left-wing operation with which Obama has deep roots.

McCain needs to talk — loudly and until the sound of his voice breaks through the media’s barrier protecting Obama — about how Obama’s allies attempted to require taxpayers to pay a kick back formula fee of potentially billions of dollars to this bunch of left-wing radicals who have a long track record of convictions for voter fraud, embezzlement, and misuse of taxpayers’ money — the network of community organizers who go by the name ACORN (...) alert voters to the fact that Obama worked for ACORN (....) was a trainer (...) performed services for them as a lawyer; that he and his unrepentant terrorist friend Bill Ayers worked closely together funneling grants to them; that Obama’s campaign has spent nearly a million dollars to retain their services.

Ask Obama how such sleazy shenanigans had anything to do with restoring confidence (...) ask Obama — what did you know and when did you know it? Demand that he explain (...) ask until he answers. Make Obama squirm. If John McCain comes to his own rescue (...) he will be taking a giant step toward the White House. (...) If he doesn’t, he will be letting down the country — and that is the last thing that John McCain would ever intentionally do. >>>

~

... Thomas Sowell ... has this to say ...

Townhall: "The Real Obama"

Critics of Senator Barack Obama make a strategic mistake when they talk about his "past associations." (...) Associations are very different from alliances. Allies are not just people who happen to be where you are or who happen to be doing the same things you do. You choose allies deliberately for a reason. The kind of allies you choose says something about you. Jeremiah Wright, Father Michael Pfleger, William Ayers and Antoin Rezko are not just people who happened to be at the same place at the same time as Barack Obama. They are people with whom he chose to ally himself for years (...) an alliance is not just an "association" from being at the same place at the same time. Obama could have allied himself with all sorts of other people. But, time and again, he allied himself with people who openly expressed their hatred of America.(...) Fortunately, there is a documented, factual account of what Barack Obama has actually been doing over the years, as distinguished from what he has been saying during this election campaign, in a new best-selling book. That book is titled "The Case Against Barack Obama" by David Freddoso. (...)

The story of Obama's political career is not a pretty story. He won his first political victory by being the only candidate on the ballot-- after hiring someone skilled at disqualifying the signers of opposing candidates' petitions (...) Obama came out in favor of the Daley machine and against reform candidates. (...) "People don't come to Obama for what he's done, they come because of what they hope he can be." David Freddoso's book should be read by those people who want to know what the facts are. But neither this book nor anything else is likely to change the minds of Obama's true believers, who have made up their minds and don't want to be confused by the facts. (...) >>>

The Obama Campaign: the Gift that Keeps On Giving

The Obama campaign is getting a teeny bit anaemic and could do with a shot in the biceps. Yesterday some genius suggested to put out a sarky toned commercial, dropping a few subtle memes in the line of 'Dems-for-the-economy-stupid' and a blunt one on the jaw that John McCain isn't in touch because "he doesn't know how to send an email!!!!" Sheer brilliance!




Too bad
Unfortunately they forgot that the reason John McCain doesn't send emails is because his fingers were crushed so badly during torture by the Viet Cong that he cannot use a keyboard.

You'll think of something
But it's cool, dudes of Obamaland, no need to apologize! You can always say that the opponent "seized on a innocent remark and took it out of context" - that "it's catnip for the news media."

Unfit to tie the laces of his shoes
It's no big deal ... America likes to see their tortured, disabled war heroes becoming the butt of politically motivated jokes. A tortured war hero comes home, recovers against the odds, but cannot tie his own shoes, comb his hair, or use a keyboard. A young start-up thinks it’s a clever idea for a campaign poster.

Blame, pass it on
Be careful with the sharp end of that incisive humor or you'll cut yourself badly one of these days. You know what, if you lose the elections you can always blame America's inherent racism, or accuse the Republicans of vile Rove tactics.

Keep 'em coming ...

Boston Globe: "McCain character loyal to a fault," by Mary Leonard, Globe Staff, 3/4/2000

"(...) McCain gets emotional at the mention of military families needing food stamps or veterans lacking health care. The outrage comes from inside: McCain's severe war injuries prevent him from combing his hair, typing on a keyboard, or tying his shoes. (...) After Vietnam, McCain had Ann Lawrence, a physical therapist, help him regain flexibility in his leg, which had been frozen in an extended position by a shattered knee. It was the only way he could hope to resume his career as a Navy flier, but Lawrence said the treatment, taken twice a week for six months, was excruciatingly painful. "He endured it, he wouldn't settle for less,"' said Lawrence, who rejoiced with McCain when he passed the Navy physical. "I have never seen such toughness and resolve (...)" >>>

Hat Tip: Atlas Shrugs, The Astute Bloggers















- More cartoons by Glenn McCoy -

- Filed on Articles in "The Pomo White House" -

Unique Footage of McCain's Release from POW Camp

Swedish TV has released unique footage of John McCain being released from the Vietnamese POW camp.

It was filmed in Hanoi on 14th March1973 by a Vietnamese cameraman.

You can watch it on our Vodpod.

The Twin Blessings of Denial and Projection: update

Over on Pajamas Patrick Poole posted a rather good analysis of the post Conventions landscape in America.

In "Obama’s Existential Crisis" he suggests what many a Republican has already concluded for himself: the McCain campaign is in far better shape than earlier predictions had it.

The Palin pick is just one measure of McCain's covert brilliance, which stands in stark contrast with the opponent's overall choice of company.

Better still, the McCain-Palin performance has exposed the Obamaland candidate not just as an pretentious empty suit in a faux classical setting. On the contrary, the emperor now appears to be wearing no clothes at all!

Judging by hostile commentary to the Poole article the Democrats are doing what the Left does best: denying reality.

"Dude, what the hell are you talking about?", goes one; "seriously, What the HELL are you talking about?", echos another.

The projection machine is working overtime: "The Republicans are running a tabloid election" is vying with "a widespread Banana Republic mentality" for evidence of delusion. It is in equal proportion to the slander they inflict on the opponents (here's one for the record, and while at it you can click down to The Nation's home page which is currently filled to the brim with articles of similar caliber, all 34 of them - things are really lookin'up).

Obamaland is scrambling to pick up the fragments of their imploded campaign; but if the signs are not mistaken we had better prepare for another four years of fake hysterical rage, rage, rage and scurrilous invective, coupled with biased, wrathful, hateful, divisive, vitriolic, bigoted, intolerant and warmongering, racist and sexist slurs from the Orwellian Press from Hell, The True Race and all the other projection-ridden protagonists of the pathological Left. But it will be worth it.

- Cartoons by Glenn McCoy and Eric Allie.

- Updates:

Chesler Chronicles on PJM: "The Coming Civil War in America"

"Each of the Presidential candidates and those who support them are fighting for the soul of America. Each has a radically different world view; each inhabits a radically different culture. (...) McCain has said that he wants to work with everyone, “Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.” I am not sure that Obama has weighed in on this precise point as yet, but he has said that he would sit down and try to work with America’s enemies. In 2000, when President Bush won (others say “when Bush stole”) the election, the Democrats became enraged, some say “deranged.” That rage has grown. If McCain wins–I predict that the cultural wars will not only intensify but will turn into the beginnings of the next Civil War in America. What do you think will happen after one side wins and the other side loses?"

Read at all and comment yourself >>> >>>

Explorations: "Palin Rumors" - "Cripes, this has gotten ridiculous. Folks, look, let’s just run through a list here. (Updated.)"

He's keeping tally ... >>>

What few objective thinking people get, is that the Leftist onslaught isn't about truth and fact, but aims at manipulating perception in order to trigger passions and opinion based on feelings. Chesler's posting touches on this in commenting on the differences between the DNC and the RNC: the DNC was basically a political rock-festival. It's all about firing passion ... rather irresponsible in today's deranged climate, actually.

Elsewhere ... No Minister: "The Smearing of Sarah Palin"

(...) Over in Australia, Tim Blair notes how the Democrats need to smear Palin. Fairfax Obama supporter and executive Bruce Wolpe wrote of the gameplan: An Obama ally assessed what Palin means: “This is a turnout election and the right will now turn out. I still think this is Obama’s race to lose but he could lose it unless our folks turn up the energy … “Obama needs to help identify her over the weekend as a book burning fundamentalist with a secessionist husband, a wacky minister of her own and an appetite for pork barrelling. They need to marginalise her …” (...) >>>

Update: Denial is the opposite end of the subjectivist fallacy that thought creates reality (if you die overnight will the sun be rising tomorrow? no, say subjectivists). If thought creates reality, then 'not thinking' (denying) it, makes the unpleasant reality go away, or so the infered logic goes.

- Filed on Articles in "The McCain-Palin Ticket" and "The Political Pathology Pile" -

Who is a Patriot?

Dr Sam C. Holliday, director of the Armiger Cromwell Center, following an earlier posting on the subject ("The Perversion of Patriotism"), in present essay is sharing his analysis on how Postmodernism has corrupted American patriotism, and applies it to the present Presidential contest.

Today's post-democratic, federalizing Europe is actively suppressing any form of love of country as primitive Nationalism: the perverted redefinition process of pomo lingo is too blunt to differentiate between jingoistic chauvinism, the ethnic Darwinism of National Socialism, hot-blooded Nationalism, and patriotism or the love of one's country or nation. All expressions and symbols of the 'outdated nation state' are frowned upon and suppressed through social pressure, also known as political correctness, or The Nudge.

It is badly understood that American patriotism is an altogether different animal than the politicized European versions, which are often closely interlinked with ethnicity, religion or shared history. The American variety expresses pride of the idea that is America, the philosophy behind the founding of this specific country based on Enlightenment values as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution. These two of the most inspiring documents that have ever been conceived by the human race, are today the subject of vicious Postmodern conspiracy theories, possibly for that reason alone.

In the Treaty of Lisbon Europeans missed an opportunity to bridge the philosophical gap: the treaty is a massive, uninspired exercise in bureaucracy and pragmatism, held together by paper, glue and legal speak. No trick or underhanded manipulation is spared by the collectivist neo-totalitarians behind the E.U. to get it ratified. It is therefore hoped the Irish will save history and will firmly continue to reject a 'corrective referendum'.

Enjoy Sam's perspective on American patriotism!


Looking directly into the camera during his acceptance of the Democrat nomination Sen. Barack Obama said: "I've got news for you John McCain. We all put our country first." To this McCain replied: "I do not question his patriotism. I question his judgment." But the American people need to understand the two very different meanings of the word "patriot" and to recognize the consequences of replacing the traditional meaning with the postmodern meaning.

To make his point Sen. Obama also said: “We are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. Since “patriotism has no party” we will challenge the old Republican “partisan playbook” to make Democrats unpatriotic. He also expressed support for the military and veterans several times. His aim was clear: to immunize himself from the vulnerability he created by claiming to be a “citizen of the world” and from something which had worked against Democrats in the past, i.e. that he is not a patriot. Most Americans value patriotism and expect their leaders to be patriots.

Two Meaning of Patriotism
Patriotism as presented by McCain and Obama can be read at this article on Parade. McCain’s traditional patriotism is defined as demonstrated love, support, defense and sacrifice for one’s country and loyalty to that country. Obama’s postmodern patriotism is defined as the feelings, emotions and dreams someone has about others and his/her country. Traditional patriotism is an expression of moral certainty, while postmodern patriotism is an expression of relativism. Both versions claim they express love for past, present and future countrymen.

Traditional American patriotism claims there is right and wrong behavior, as defined by society, to demonstrate patriotism without regard to personal opinion. This means putting the country first, before ideology, factions, personal ambition, or anything else. Move. Most Europeans consider this view of patriotism a relic of the past.

On the other hand, postmodernists present patriotism as being subjective and dependent on the life narrative of each individual. This means the memories, hopes, dreams and feelings of each person are stressed.

Most Americans and Europeans hold preconceptions that cause them to be emotionally committed to one of these two versions of patriotism. Humans usually base their views on feelings but represent their decisions as being rational. Sometimes this encompasses unconscious competence, so this method of reasoning is not always wrong, but it is the source of confirmation bias, denial, etc. Therefore, it is wise to consider the history of patriotism and the modern/postmodern paradigm before we consider the terminology needed to resolve this issue. Now is the time for all Americans to understand why patriotism is important.

History of Patriotism
Patriotism as a word gained its meaning as nation-states became the major actors in world affairs. Prior to the 18th century, loyalty was to the sovereign. With the rise of nation-states and the decline of the divine right of kings it became necessary to shift loyalty from an individual to a nation, i.e. a collectivity of those with a common identity.

Under “the divine right of Kings” people were expected to be loyal to a lord, count, king, and emperor who held secular authority and who was also often the custodian of sacred authority. In most of Europe this concept was abolished during the age of political revolution. However, the new nation-states needed some way to express loyalty to the new sovereign, i.e. the people as a whole (the nation). This task fell to patriotism.

The concept of patriotism thus performs an essential function. Today, anyone who rejects the nation-state will also reject the traditional definition of patriotism and will favor the postmodern version.

Patriot is a very old word; originally it meant “defender of the lands of our fathers”. Throughout history all successful groups have found ways to create group identity and shared civic virtues to bind its members together during competition with others. The concept of patriotism has been instrumental in creating and maintaining (1) loyalty within a nation, (2) respect for authority and the institutions of governance, and (3) a sense of reverence for a nation. All successful nations have valued their patriots, and shunned those deemed unpatriotic. Nevertheless, a backdrop of American Flags, red, white and blue bunting, stirring words, flag pins, thousands of cheering countrymen, and patriotic songs do not prove patriotism.

Patriotism is a question of loyalty. It replaced the loyalty to an individual sovereign (lord, king, emperor), derived from feudal law, with loyalty to the people (a nation)—the new sovereign. In our case "the good People of these Colonies" absolved “all Allegiance to the British Crown".

In Europe the 68-generation has attempted to suppress any form of patriotism as integral nationalism: jingoistic chauvinism or the ethnic Darwinism of National Socialism. All expressions and symbols of the “outdated nation state” are frowned upon and suppressed through social pressure, i.e. political correctness. In Europe, and among postmodernists, sovereign nationalism is never considered.

Sovereign nationalism seeks the ideals expressed in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Sovereign nationalism is an expression of the human desire for freedom and self-government. It places an emphasis on popular sovereignty, a constitution, decentralization, and civil rights—it is legitimized by a social contract between a people and their state. Sovereign nationalism is based on E Pluribus Unum—thus it is uniquely American and the reason traditional American patriotism differs from the politicized European versions, which are often closely interlinked with ethnicity or religion. The American version expresses pride in the founding documents of this country.

The Modern/Postmodern Paradigm
The distinction between traditional patriotism and postmodern patriotism depends on motive. But it is impossible to know motives with certainty. Therefore, to avoid antagonism and separation debates over this distinction should be avoided. However, it is necessay to recognize that voting for either McCain or Obama will have consequences other than on issues. A vote for Obama will at least erode traditional patriotism and might even destroy ways to create and maintain (1) loyalty to our country, (2) respect for authority, and (3) reverence for our country.

Traditional American patriotism states what a person must do for his/her country to be considered a patriot. But postmodern thought rejects such objectivity. It is based on communication theory and focused on language, it stresses subjectivity and claims that objectivity is an illusion used by the powerful to manipulate people and oppress the disadvantaged. Postmodern patriotism is an expression of moral relativism. It is the love and feelings each person has for people and his/her country as a result of that individual’s life narrative. It considers opposition to your country’s policies and actions that you consider unjust to be the highest form of patriotism.

The social contract of a nation of free individuals with free will depends on patriots being loyal to, dedicated to, and willing to sacrifice for their nation. Of course, members of the loyal opposition love their country just as much as patriots. Members of the loyal opposition believe they are working for the common good just as much as patriots. They argue and work to change policies prior to decisions by those in authority, and then they either support the implementation of that policy or remain silent. Each citizen of the U.S.A. has the right to challenge constituted authority and to "alter or abolish" those exercising that authority, but the consequences of such action must also be considered. In order words, individuals have the right to dissent and to express their grievances. They might be right, brave, noble, wise, etc., but that does not make them patriots.

On the other hand, postmodernists make dissent an aspect of patriotism so they will not be constrained in their efforts to advance personal, ideological, or factional interests. Partisan politicians who do not want their words and actions constrained by patriotism, and unintentionally give aid and comfort to enemies of their country, should be considered “useful idiots” regardless of their intentions or how much they claim to love their country.

Terminology
If we want to preserve the United States of America as a successful nation, there needs to be consensus on the words used to discuss this important subject. However, in this essay there is no attempt to place anyone in any specific category. That is a matter of opinion on which there will never be agreement. Nevertheless, discussion will be more meaningful if there is consensus on terminology. Hopefully this terminology will cause people to consider more carefully how what they say and do might give aid and comfort to our enemies. This is the purpose of this essay.

Patriotism: actions to demonstrate love and loyalty to one's country, support and defense of one’s country, and sacrifice for one’s country. Patriotism is a way to give a nation of free people with free will the ability to unify and sacrifice for the common good in a common cause.

Patriots: loyal and dedicated persons who not only love their country but also willingly work and sacrifice to advance the policies and interests of their country.

Loyal Opponents: those persons who love their country but oppose, and work to change, the policies of their country yet are careful not to give aid and comfort to the enemies of their country.

Traitors or Useful Idiots: those persons who give aid and comfort to the enemies of their country as a result of carelessness, naivety or idealism. The politically correct will certainly object to the use of the term “traitor” and “idiot” in this context. For some traitor should be used only after someone is convicted of the crime of treason. Although traitor is a negative word it is an appropriate word since it refers to any person who betrays a person, cause, or trust.

Since the year 1300, idiot has meant an ignorant person. However, for the past 100 years it has been used by some to refer to a person with severe mental retardation; thus in an effort to avoid being insensitive to mental illness the word idiot is considered off limits by the politically correct. Yet idiot is correctly used to refer to a foolish person. In this context Communists used it, from the 1930s until the end of the Cold War, to refer to those in a country whom they could use to advance Communism. Therefore, both traitors and useful idiots are accurate and appropriate when used to refer to those who give aid and comfort to the enemies of their country as a result of carelessness, naivety or idealism.

Subversives or a Fifth Column: individuals or groups which hide their loyalty, convictions, and motives while they willingly work to advance the interests of a movement or faction seeking to weaken or destroy the country in which they live. “Fifth Column” was a term used during World War II for those living in a country that actively supported an enemy of that country. It was first used by Napoleon as he marched toward Vienna to refer to those in that city which he expected to rise up against their government. It was also used at the end of the Spanish Civil War as Nationalist forces moved on Madrid in the same context. It is a useful term, with negative connotations, which accurately describes those who are loyal to something other than their own country.

If there is ever conscious on this terminology it is hoped this will cause people to be careful about what they say and do. They should not be able to say and do things that will give aid and comfort to our enemies and still be considered patriots. Of course, some will use it to denigrate those who have different ideological or political views. Unfortunately, agreement on terminology will cause as many to use it for the latter as the former.

Conclusions
Without such agreement on terminology reasoned discussion of national interests is impossible. It will result in patrician bickering based on different political and philosophical points of view. With the acceptance of common terminology we can avoid some antagonism and separation as we seek unity in the pursuit of the common good in a common cause. Moral relativism must not prevent us from making judgments or from calling a spade a spade. It is hoped this clarity of terminology will cause people’s behavior to be more patriotic.

There will be those who object to the use of Traitors, Useful Idiots, Subversives, and Fifth Column. It is suggested they propose better terms.

We must have the courage, and be politically incorrect enough, to agree on civic virtues. We must distinguish right from wrong, good from bad. We must be judgmental. We can no long say everyone is a patriot just because they claim they love their country. Patriots are willing to work and sacrifice to advance the policies and interests of their country.

In addition to designating a new President, the November 2008 election will be a referendum on the meanings of patriotism which since the 1960s has been one aspect of the struggle between modernism and postmodernism.

Copyright © 2008 Armiger Cromwell Center, 3750 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 374, Atlanta, GA 30319-1322. 404-201-7374. Permission is granted to forward this article by e-mail to friends or colleagues on a fair use basis. For reprint permission, contact Armiger Cromwell Center at armigercc@comcast.net

Related:

Founding Bloggers: "Thousands Of Trashed US Flags From Obama’s Invesco Event Will Be Used At Palin Event Today"

- Filed on Articles in "The Armiger Cromwell Center" and "Americana" -

Notes around the RNC

"(...) The media (...) have joined in flogging the meme that the convention is now ruined and John McCain is in trouble (...)" The European MSM have it, that not only is the convention a wash-out, the campaign is lost, but also that John McCain's unvetted pick of Palin speaks volumes of his judgment capabilities: he would consider jilting her, if he could ...

- "I have to agree with Glenn Reynolds when he suggests that: "How they could have kept the Palin pregnancy out of the press: Leaked it, that John Edwards was the father." -

Convention site

WSJ: "The Beltway Boys"

(...) the high priests and priestesses of the media have marked her as an apostate. The Beltway class is in full-throated rebellion against a nondomesticated conservative who might pose a threat to their coronation of Barack Obama and the return of Camelot-on-the-Potomac. Here is a sampler of media comment on Governor Palin this week (...)

Take a close look at Governor Palin's record on ethics and energy in Alaska, and it becomes clear what this Beltway outburst is actually about. The irony is that while Senator Obama is running on change, his acceptance speech made explicit that he's promising only more power and money for Washington. Sarah Palin's history of taking on the career politicians of a corrupt Alaskan GOP machine -- her own party -- shows that she's the more authentic change agent. >>>

... and on the psychological level, brilliant Dr Sanity:

- THE LEFT'S FIRESTORM OF PROJECTION ABOUT PALIN (group projection and projective identification)

- SARAH, DEAR, WOULD YOU MAKE THE COFFEE FOR US BIG IMPORTANT DEMOCRATS? (on sexism, the socialist food chain, and an equivocation)

- DEMOCRATS, FEMINISTS, AND HYPOCRISY

Obama, Biden: "Children are off limits" (we leave that to our surrogates ...)

How do you spell h y p o c r i s y ?

Here are "Top 9 Reasons Obama Hasn’t Pulled Ahead", a recap of the campaign so far.

Palin, the woman the European Left (a tautology) love to hate (Times): "What Mrs Palin represents is mesmerising this side of the Atlantic for its very political incorrectness. So sick are we in Britain, with our centre left-centre right politicians of the centre, not one daring to have a view out of line with the very thin consensus that passes for acceptable opinion here, that we stand stunned by a woman who opposes abortion and shoots moose; who believes in creationism and drilling for oil in the Arctic wildlife refuge; who supports the aerial shooting of wolves and opposes same-sex marriage; who says to hell with the kids and just get back to work; who even campaigned against saving polar bears! Could you be less politically correct than suing the Federal Government to prevent it making polar bears an endangered species because the move would restrict oil drilling? Nothing like Mrs Palin has, could ever, be seen in the British political system. She turns liberals into conservatives and conservatives into feminists. Stand back, Mr Obama, a new character is storming the ratings. How Hillary Clinton, all safe lines and patronising empathy, must be hating it. How fast Michelle Obama must be recalibrating her soft little tales about baking cookies and enjoying The Brady Bunch. Mrs Palin would eat Carol Brady for breakfast, and still have space for some moose stew. Hell, yes. (...) They call it feminism, but the Republicans have done women a disservice. They have selected a female candidate who is a cartoon - the joker in the pack who will end up just a joke. >>>

This is great! Hat Tip Pamela at Atlas ... see the assaults of the new storm troopers in 360!

Minnesota Public Radio: "RNC protest in 360 degrees"

The McCain Campaign has taken the press to task for savagely trashing Sarah Palin. The reaction on CNN: "They do this as a strategy to deflect attention away from her lack of experience and McCain's poor judgment in picking her." Obamaland: "That's right, blame the messenger if you think this is about personalities instead of issues."

- Related: "The Pomo White House" (the other camp)

- Filed on Articles in "The McCain-Palin Ticket" -

Fake Revelation in a Faux Greco-Roman Setting

Rational people ponder questions on the basis of logic, integrating concepts and facts with existing knowledge. To the person of reason reality exists independently from his mind. They look to the outside world as a source of information. After thorough integration they try to persuade others of their point of view on the basis mature debate and valid argument.

This simple premise does not hold true for those who have rejected reason as their method to knowledge. They rather chose for their input emotion, passion, intuition and various other means of revelation from within the depths of their own persons (why are we surprised we're breeding pocket versions of Narcissus, all vying for the position of Master of the Universe?).

Among the second group of humans we count today's Leftists, small l liberals, Democrats, environmentalists, multiculturalists, gender and identity theorists, Greens, Socialists, Third World liberation theorists, and possibly other Postmodernists (among them a fair amount of less and less closeted Nazi admirers) that have turned against reason, individualism, free market capitalism, science and technology and all the terrible evils of civilization that go with it.

Other than the rationalists, they cannot rely on facts, reason, debate, and arguments to convince us of their point of view: they hold that such objective information simply isn't available to humans. They therefore have two avenues open to them to enforce their neotot standpoint on others. One way would be to forcibly suppress individual free will, making it subservient to the 'common will' of the collective, which was unsuccessfully practiced by a number of regimes, jointly responsible for over 100 million deaths over the course of just one century.

A less crude but trickier way is to try change people's way of looking at the world by adjusting their perception of reality. LSD in the public water supply would be one method. More refined is the application of rhetorical spin, re-framing, the use of certain idiom and redefining definitions of strategically chosen words; mind games, the dissemination of memes that may be triggered by symbolism, catch words or the use of images as set out in an earlier post, "Demagogy, Voodoo and Hypnosis 2.0."

Alternatively they might look at the theatrical and artistic world for inspiration: it has expert experience of smoke and mirrors and knowledge how to harnass style, music, visual and audio effects to induce trance in crowds.

Part III of the series "When Reason Fails: Morbid Obama Intoxication" explained the political and philosophical dimensions. The Blairite and Clintonian eras saw the perfection of the rhetorical and literary discipline, now in the light of today's subliminal manipulation perhaps a bit primitive and naive.

These fake spiritual experiences induced in huge crowds of course convey no factual information at all, but they do reduce the participant to the state of a mindless savage, with the back-door of the subconscious wide open to the reception of perception adjusters. When we hear a speech of Adolf Hitler we hear no words at all, but merely sounds delivered in a certain hypnotizing cadence.

What we saw last week during the DNC in Denver was a carefully orchestrated build up over the course of four days, culminating in a ritual ceremony celebrated by his holiness The Being of Light. Too bad of the faux Greco-Roman game show setting, which was on the whole perhaps - in all its splendorous kitch - a bit of an anti-climax.

The delusion of denial the irrational crowd has been living in over the last eight years finds its continuum into the period of the new presidential campaign; it will probably live on - no matter who will be elected President come the elections in November, until they are ready to accept the realities of the physical world once again. The only remedy is confrontation.

The overtly sexist (and latently racist) Left dismiss and sneer McCain's VP choice, in general being extremely ungracious about it. But in the process they appear to have shot themselves in the foot, enraged as they are that Bush III stole the limelight away from the Obama homily: "More to Sarah Palin Than Meets the Eye" by Rick Moran.

Earlier it seemed the Obama election was slam dunk. Now it appears they are too deluded to even correctly gauge the situation; what's more, they seem oblivious of their own predicament.

- Dialog from Star Trek Next Generation:

Borg Hugh: You probably don't know what it's like to be lost and frightened. You will listen to any voice who promises change.
Commander Riker: Even if that voice insists on controlling you?
Borg Hugh: That's what we wanted. Someone to show us a way out of the confusion. He promised clarity and purpose; he seemed like a savior; promised to make us superior, but he had no idea how to keep his promise. He began to ask for sacrifices for the sake of the greater good ...

- Filed on Articles in "The Pomo White House" -

Birthday Boy picks Tomboy

Presidential candidate John McCain picks Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (born February 11, 1964) as VP.

She is the youngest person to hold this honor as well as the first woman to do so in the state's history.

Sarah's parents arrived in Alaska in 1964 to teach school in Skagway.

She earned her Journalism degree from the University of Idaho and worked in media and the utility industry before beginning her public service 14 years ago. (...) >>> (Conservapedia)

From 1992 to 1996, Ms. Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council her native Alaska town. In 1996, She challenged the incumbent mayor, in 1996 criticizing wasteful spending and high taxes. She ran for reelection against the former mayor in 1999, winning by an even larger margin. Palin was also elected president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors. On becoming Mayor she kept her preelection promises by taking a major cut in salary and reducing property taxes by 60%.

Under Governor Murkowski she was appointed Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. She served from 2003 to 2004 until resigning in protest over what she called the “lack of ethics” of fellow Alaskan Republican leaders, who ignored her complaints of legal violations and conflicts of interest. Following her resignation, she went the state Republican party’s chairman, Randy Ruedrich, a fellow Oil & Gas commissioners, accusing him of doing work for the party on public time and supplying a lobbyist with a sensitive e-mail. Tireless in her efforts to root out corruption Palin filed formal complaints against both Ruedrich and former Alaska Attorney General Gregg Renkes. Both resigned as a result of her denunciations.

In spite of a lack of support by the party leadership, in spite of being vastly outspent by her Democrat opponent, she handily won the Governorship in 2006. True to her reputation as a reformer, true to her fighting spirit, she hit the ground running with a successful push for an ethics bill, she also attacked and shelved pork-barrel projects supported by fellow Republicans. In Governor Palin’s words, “Alaska needs to be self-sufficient, she says, instead of relying heavily on ‘federal dollars,’ as the state does today.” And so far she has kept her word, striving to reduce that dependency!

At the very outset of her administration, in efforts to reduce and cancel wasteful spending, Palin followed through on a campaign promise to sell the Westwind II jet purchased (on a state government credit account) by the former governor’s administration. In 2007, the jet was sold for $2.7 million.

She canceled an 11-mile gravel road outside of Juneau to a mine. In June 2007, the new Governor signed into law the largest operating budget in Alaska’s history ($6.6 billion). She used her veto power to make the second-largest cuts of the construction budget in state history and managed to reduce it to nearly $1.6 billion.

SOCIAL STANDS

Abortion - On April 18, 2008, Palin gave birth to her second son - out of 5 children - he was born with Down Syndrome. Palin refused to let the results of prenatal genetic testing change her decision to have the baby. “I’m looking at him right now, and I see perfection,” Palin said. “Yeah, he has an extra chromosome. I keep thinking, in our world, what is normal and what is perfect?” The sancity of life, in her view, far outweighs any considerations of false shame or personal convenience!

Gay Marriage - She opposes same-sex marriage, though she has gay friends and is receptive to gay and lesbian concerns about discrimination. Palin complied with a state Supreme Court order and signed them into law, though the previous administration had refused to do so. Palin’s sensitivity to her constituents was responsible for first veto used to block legislation that would have barred the state from granting benefits to the partners of gay state employees. Her veto granted State of Alaska benefits to same-sex couples. The veto occurred after Palin consulted with Alaska’s attorney general on the constitutionality of the legislation.

In short, while Sarah Palin is a staunch Conservative she has reached out and acted on behalf of groups that are traditionally outside the pale of Conservative politics. She has demonstrated no tolerance for wasteful projects. She fought against and reversed the cronyism inherent in the last administrBlogger: Politeia - Edit Post "Birthday Boy picks Tomboy"ation. Unanimously, she has been hailed as a reformer with unusual ethics in politics. She has indefatigably fought to clean up government and shown she will stand for no nonsense (...) >>> - Hat Tip: Chaim at "Freedom's Cost".

- Caption: Dr Sanity: "(...) "before she was on the national stage" and when no one was watching, Palin actually visited wounded American soldiers in Germany (hat tip: Ace)--something the Obamessiah somehow neglected to do when he was there" -

- PJM: "More to Sarah Palin Than Meets the Eye," by Rick Moran
- PJM: "It's Palin," (blegosphere reactions to the VP pick)
- McCain Campaign site, blog.
- NewsMax: "Palin Speaks to Newsmax About McCain, Abortion, Climate Change"

- Filed on Articles in "McCain-Palin Ticket" -