George Monbiot and Critical Analysis

I believe I first read him taking the counterpoint in the argument regarding the U.S. falling into fascism. The pro side has the evidence of an unprincipled political party allied with the media, business leaders, and religious leaders and playing upon an angry and scared middle and lower class and scapegoating liberals and non-Christians. Monbiot argued no, Bush is turning to Puritanism for his support.

The enrichment of the elite and impoverishment of the lower classes requires a justifying ideology if it is to be sustained. In the United States this ideology has to be a religious one. Bush’s government is forced back to the doctrines of Puritanism as an historical necessity. If we are to understand what it’s up to, we must look not to the 1930s, but to the 1630s.

My brother sent me another essay by him where Monbiot argues that Bush is following a pattern of self-destruction, America is at war with itself in foreign policy and global environmental policy. Bush is seeking to destroy America by creating enemies where none existed.

The US has just spent millions of dollars in Buenos Aires undermining its own peace and prosperity. Of course we know that its delegation was representing the interests of the corporations, not the people, and that what’s bad for America is good for Exxon. But this does not detract from the sheer, self-immolating stupidity of its position.

The United States has every right to beat itself up. But unfortunately, while chasing itself around the world, it tramples everyone else. I know that appealing to George Bush’s intelligence isn’t likely to take us very far, but surely there’s someone in that administration who can see what a monkey he’s making of America.

My own opinion is this argument, like the first, is too sophisticated. While generally true it is is amusing to a liberal elitist or anti-Bushist in a masturbatory way. While liberals get off on this it doesn't do anything but paint mental images they already agree with and know.

I have been pondering if blogging is itself mostly a talking to yourself and those who agree with you useless activity. How much of blogging is now news? We know that Bush and the modern GOP is bad in an almost impossible to imagine comprehensiveness. And we know that the opposition to Bush lost to his 51% supporters. It seems to be time for direct actions to either convince more non-voters to vote or peal off some more of the GOPs support. Talking to ourselves should probably be more limited to showing elected officials we are watching and supporting actions that benefit people and not the GOP and its contributors. There may need to be more block walking, joining active groups, or emailing people who disagree with you to find out which arguments persuade. It might be time to get local and prevent the dominance of conservative churches, at least in Texas' case, in local elections. The Texas Democratic party is a good place to start as nearly all the Confederate Democrats have fled to the GOP. Geting involved is now more important than being informed. You have seen the GOP in action, you can pretty much count on the future actions to be similar. For your church going friends start planting the idea that JC is a Democrat.