Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
Our local paper had an opinion piece on the death of democracy and the rise of fascism - meaning, capitalism, of course - and it contained this characterization:
By the time Reagan imperiously commanded Gorbachev to "tear down that wall," the evil empire had already imploded. It was in its death throes. The U.S. president relished his opportunity to turn the Russian people's suffering into a live-action morality tale.
The longer the bread lines in Moscow, the more he mocked the austerity that such images displayed. To Reagan, the lesson could not have been simpler. Get out those credit cards, America, and turn up the thermostat. The Cold War's over and the good guys won.
I realize it's unfair to the author to take Peter's characterizations over hers, since Peter's views are no doubt tainted by experience. But what did Reagan think of the Russian people and their trials? I tend to suspect he regarded them as human beings who deserved to be free, not props in an empty parade of ideological bromides. But gosh, that's just a guess.
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Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
Neo: I know we get the Pravda rap, but c'mon. ;) If we were really Izvestia on the Mississippi, we wouldn't have stories like we had last week on the hideous impact of light-rail on businesses along the route, or the ruinous effect of the medical-device tax on local industry.
Just to be fair: the same editorial page runs conservative columnists, the existence of which aggravates some readers as well. Heck, they used to run my syndicated conservative column. I'll also note that I have never in my years of employment felt the slightest amount of pressure to skew my column leftwards, and have been encouraged to write exactly what I believe. I take issue with things I see in my paper, but that's true here, too.
(In my very first column for the paper, BTW, I wrote that many people think columnists for the paper have to have a tattoo of Lenin on their right buttock, and that's wrong, because A) it would be the left buttock, and B) that would be disrespectful of Lenin.)
Dec '11
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
I was wondering if you would like to enroll in the Jayson Blair School of Journalism. Our school motto is "Never let facts get in the way of a good story". Professor Stephen Glass will teach you how to get interviews without having to deal with interviewees. This method saves time and money and gets the perfect quotes that you are looking for. We also teach our students how to decode what is really met by conservatives.
To see your aptitude for journalism please answer the following question.
What does Mitt Romney really mean when he says that he loves his wife?
Feb '12
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
This article is so insulting - and I don't use this word often! So, my great-grandfather was sent to GULag in 1941 after Soviet occupation of Latvia (and died there) because USSR lost 40 million people in 1941-45? Or because Stalin and Hitler signed the treaty dividing Europe and then Hitler outfoxed his friend? And thousands of Polish officers were murdered in Katyn in 1940 because FDR fought along Stalin?
And Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia were just spoils of war? No wonder Lech Walesa - who didn't see it that way - was too political to be invited to the White House!
tabula rasa
Besides that, does anyone have a clue what "capitalism without boundaries" means? · 4 hours ago
And while we are at it, what is communism with a small "c"?
Actually, this is one of numerous bizarre statements! Reagan "mocked the austerity that the images of bread lines in Moscow displayed". Does this phrase make any sense to anybody?
Edited on June 11, 2012 at 8:41amOct '10
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
Bonnie Blodgett's bumbling incoherence, bizarre moral reasoning and confusion about what words mean are the hallmarks of erudition on the knee-jerk Left. It’s hard not to despair for the fate of the Republic after being assaulted by an article in an allegedly reputable adult newspaper that reads like a sophomore’s ramblings from a student newspaper at a liberal arts college.
Apr '11
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
In defense of Stalin (man, that's a hard clause to write), Russia/the Soviet Union was repeatedly attacked by western countries (usually not democratic ones) over the course of 150 years. It is unsurprising that Stalin wanted as large a buffer zone/tripwire as he could get.
(Please note I am not endorsing Stalin's murderous paranoia. He was evil and probably killed as many of his own people as Hitler did; there are always conflicting numbers.)
Jun '12
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
Question.....should I be having these shooting pains in my head?
I would also remind people this is a newspaper the NY Times called loony left. And why so many of us call it the Red Star Tribune.
Jun '12
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
Glenn the Iconoclast: In defense of Stalin (man, that's a hard clause to write), Russia/the Soviet Union was repeatedly attacked by western countries (usually not democratic ones) over the course of 150 years. It is unsurprising that Stalin wanted as large a buffer zone/tripwire as he could get.
(Please note I am notendorsing Stalin's murderous paranoia. He was evil and probably killed as many of his own people as Hitler did; there are always conflicting numbers.) · 1 hour ago
May I highly recommend Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin
Available at all the usual outlets.
Dec '10
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
"the death of democracy and the rise of fascism - meaning, capitalism,"
One of our great failures is our failure to educate people about the fact that the fascists were SOCIALISTS.
Apr '12
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
Sorry, she lost me at the sentence where "FDR won the war". Her view that Churchill had no part is such a typical Ugly American statement. She probably got her views on history from Hollywood.
Apr '12
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
@10Cents. That sounds like an enticing school of journalism - thanks for cheering me up with a laugh.@Virshu. Reality does get in the way of a good rant about the conservative movement. Lech Welesa not getting to the White House - would appreciate you writing a post about this.
Aug '11
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
That's great.
I wonder what the readership of the Star Tribune is (in terms of left/right). From the comments, I'm guessing very left leaning. The flaws in the argument have been well exposed here. I think you get op-ed pieces that are poorly written like that when you don't ever have to ask yourself what your conservative readers would say.
I think her use of fascism goes back to Orwell's definition-- anything you don't like. I feel sorry for Jonah Goldberg because it's like his book "Liberal Fascism" never existed.
Jun '12
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
Goldgeller
That's great.
I wonder what the readership of the Star Tribune is (in terms of left/right). From the comments, I'm guessing very left leaning. The flaws in the argument have been well exposed here. I think you get op-ed pieces that are poorly written like that when you don't ever have to ask yourself what your conservative readers would say.
I think her use of fascism goes back to Orwell's definition-- anything you don't like. I feel sorry for Jonah Goldberg because it's like his book "Liberal Fascism" never existed. · 2 hours ago
Defiantly Left...as in I've left reality behind, and now I'm in my own little world. OTOH they have a great comic page and sports page.
You nailed it with their definition of Fascism. I also post at Common Ground Politics, and I see this all the time. It really is like we live in two different worlds.
Jun '12
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
James Lileks: Neo: I know we get the Pravda rap, but c'mon. ;) If we were really Izvestia on the Mississippi, we wouldn't have stories like we had last week on the hideous impact of light-rail on businesses along the route, or the ruinous effect of the medical-device tax on local industry.
Just to be fair: the same editorial page runs conservative columnists, the existence of which aggravates some readers as well. Heck, they used to run my syndicated conservative column. I'll also note that I have never in my years of employment felt the slightest amount of pressure to skew my column leftwards, and have been encouraged to write exactly what I believe. I take issue with things I see in my paper, but that's true here, too.
(In my very first column for the paper, BTW, I wrote that many people think columnists for the paper have to have a tattoo of Lenin on their right buttock, and that's wrong, because A) it would be the left buttock, and B) that would be disrespectful of Lenin.) · 9 hours ago
Says the guy who works there! :-)
Sep '10
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
From the column:
This is such a perfect encapsulation of left-wing cliches that it deserves a place in a museum.
It's a salutary reminder: this is how the left wing really thinks (if that is the correct word) about the world.
Edited on June 11, 2012 at 5:58pmSep '11
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
My father-in-law, who lives in Champlin, still calls it the Cheap Commie Rag.
James Lileks: Neo: I know we get the Pravda rap, but c'mon. ;) If we were really Izvestia on the Mississippi, we wouldn't have stories like we had last week on the hideous impact of light-rail on businesses along the route, or the ruinous effect of the medical-device tax on local industry.
Just to be fair: the same editorial page runs conservative columnists, the existence of which aggravates some readers as well. Heck, they used to run my syndicated conservative column. I'll also note that I have never in my years of employment felt the slightest amount of pressure to skew my column leftwards, and have been encouraged to write exactly what I believe. I take issue with things I see in my paper, but that's true here, too.
Mar '11
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
The absolute best thing about Ms. Blodgett's commentary was the "bio" at the conclusion:
"Bonnie Blodgett is a St. Paul writer. She blogs about gardening, politics and life at bonnieblodgett.com."
In other words, she knows nothing about the subject on which she is commenting.
Apr '11
Re: Calling Peter Robinson, Enabler of Imperiousness
Valin
May I highly recommend Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin
Available at all the usual outlets.
There are three copies on the shelf of the library literally across the street. I will walk over tomorrow to borrow one. Thank you for the recommendation.