Convergence in Action

Jesse Walker | November 11, 2008

A socialist columnist writes a libertarian article for a conservative magazine.

Comments

|11.11.08 @ 11:19PM|#

The American Conservative specializes in convergences like this. It's practically their meal ticket. Cockburn knows his stuff, too.

|11.11.08 @ 11:49PM|#

Next spring CounterPunch Books will publish his A Short History of Fear: The Rise and Fall of Global Warming.

Interesting

|11.11.08 @ 11:56PM|#

Perhaps this convergence merely illustrates that no one has a monopoly on truth or common sense.

|11.12.08 @ 1:35AM|#

Orwell was a socialist, too, and all libertarians owe him a debt of gratitude, at least for "1984," if not also for "Politics and the English Language." The former showed very clearly what we are up against, and the latter suggested both how our predicament is being obfuscated by politicians, as well as how to see through the fog of political language.

Citizen Nothing|11.12.08 @ 9:17AM|#

What a great and gloomy article.

For the first time in my adult life -- except, perhaps, for a couple of days in the fall of 2001 -- I don't feel optimistic about the future. (Ironic, ain't it?)
I think the parallels between Hoover/FDR and Bush/Obama are ominous. I've been proven right about Bush. I hope I'm wrong about Obama. (So, I guess I've got hope after all.)

the innominate one|11.12.08 @ 9:36AM|#

convergence or consilience?

|11.12.08 @ 9:40AM|#

the innominate one,

No one's going to reply to your comments if you keep up with that sort of potty talk.

|11.12.08 @ 10:03AM|#

They hate us for our freedom.

We must eliminate freedom.

|11.12.08 @ 10:20AM|#

I'm can't find anything to bitch about in Mr. Cockburn's article. It should be required reading in civics classes* throughout the nation.

* Do they still requirte civics to graduate H.S.?

Ryan M|11.12.08 @ 10:27AM|#

"Orwell was a socialist, too, and all libertarians owe him a debt of gratitude, at least for "1984," if not also for "Politics and the English Language.""
I don't know about anyone else, but Animal Farm probably did more to turn me into a libertarian than anything else. It's portrayal of a supposedly good idea slowly being corrupted and turned into a dictatorship made a big impact on my view of government.

economist|11.12.08 @ 10:42AM|#

"A socialist columnist writes a libertarian article for a conservative magazine."
I TOLD you that Obama's election would cause the universe to implode, but no one listened.

economist|11.12.08 @ 10:43AM|#

Out of respect for Orwell's wishes, I don't usually use any of his works when arguing with socialists.

economist|11.12.08 @ 10:44AM|#

"Hoover/Bush comparison"
Except that Hoover's interventions were small potatoes compared with Bush's interventions.

Citizen Nothing|11.12.08 @ 10:47AM|#

But like Hoover, Bush will be painted by history as a small-government deregulator.

economist|11.12.08 @ 10:47AM|#

CN,
Yeah, that's a bitch.

|11.12.08 @ 10:59AM|#

"A socialist columnist writes a libertarian article for a conservative magazine."
I TOLD you that Obama's election would cause the universe to implode, but no one listened.

We're sure the Large Hadron Collider isn't running, right?

economist|11.12.08 @ 11:02AM|#

ChrisH,
According to my calculations, the universe should implode sometime in January.

economist|11.12.08 @ 11:04AM|#

"Bush will be painted as a small-government deregulator."
Doule-assrape. Ow, it hurts, ow!

Boston|11.12.08 @ 11:07AM|#

Cockburn is a strange animal to say the least. Though he did have an article how he was voting for Barr.

|11.12.08 @ 11:16AM|#

Good article. The only quibble I have is that I really don't regard being required to provide ID to be an infringement on your right to vote.

|11.12.08 @ 12:22PM|#

Cockburn seems to be a vanishing breed of Socialists, one that actually gives a shit about civil liberties.

|11.12.08 @ 12:26PM|#

"I'm can't find anything to bitch about in Mr. Cockburn's article. It should be required reading in civics classes* throughout the nation."

Lulz irony.