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Failed Conservative Values: Dona Ridgeway on Authoritarianism
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Authoritarian political ideologies have a vested interest in promoting fear, a sense of the imminence of takeover by aliens --and real diseases are useful material.
Susan Sontag
Donna Ridgeway is a blogger living in the Santa Cruz, California area. She was raised republican and was in the military, but then started questioning. She says the Failed Conservative Value is authoritarianism, it's a lose lose situation because if the authoritarian fails, everything fails. However she sees a lot of problems with progressives as well. There's a lot of egos with progressives and herding cats is hard.
Failed Conservative Values: Dona Ridgeway - it's Authoritarianism
My name is Donna Ridgeway. I live in the Santa Cruz area. I’m a blogger. I go by the name of Momma Donna on all my sites.
Conservative values to me are one of conservation. We are conserving and learning from the past, planning for the future, and living in the present. That’s a good conservative to me.
Edwin: And that would be what present conservatives are?
Donna: Well, I’m not sure where a present conservative is. I think there are a lot of people that cloak themselves in that kind of multi-colored coat, but they each have their own flavor of conservatism. From what I can see now, they are spreading into the military conservative -- strength, power, progress through power, Pax Americana.
Economic conservatism, which I believe in, which is a good thing to go for, and then social conservatism, which I think are a bunch of really not very knowledgeable people. They aren’t really into going out and finding out new facts about life.
No authority is higher than reality. Peter Nivio Zarlenga
Edwin: And what are their values, the social conservatives?
Donna: Again, there are many flavors of it, and it all depends on what group they are powerful in. Basically, I think it has a lot to do with power over women’s bodies. For some reason, they just have an absolute anal fixation on power over women’s productive parts.
Not men. They never concern themselves with sperm, which to me is very unusual, since it takes two. They are always concerned about women and the egg -- what happens to the egg. Who handles the egg. Where it goes. Everything.
They believe that their way is Daddy knows Best. And if anything fails, that’s because you didn’t follow my plan. You didn’t follow through.
It’s all in perception. Once you have authority over something, that means that you have to be completely responsible and accountable for it. It – whatever you have authority over – has no power of its own. All the power rests in the authoritarian. If the authoritarian fails, everything fails. It’s a lose-lose situation.
Believe it or not, I was raised Republican. First of all, my father, he was a good Goldwater Republican. We had many talks about it. I felt the need as a good soldier, daughter, to be a Republican.
When I grew up, I went into the service, and I was very, very conservative. And all of a sudden, I started learning. I started becoming an adult. I started questioning things. I started looking out into the world.
Slowly, I went toward the Democratic Party. And I registered with the Democratic Party, and I thought it was a pretty good plan. And two or three years ago, when the Democratic Leaders Council took over the running of the Democratic Party, I felt they had nothing more for me. They were just like the Republican Party. So I went independent.
Edwin: How about the progressive movement? What do you feel about them?
Donna: I watched it. I walked across the United States with the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament in 1986. We were probably on the cutting edge of progressive at that time, although it was never called progressive. We were called a bunch of weirdoes walking across the United States.
I’m kind of disappointed in the progressive movement right now. They are very scattered. There are still egos involved. It’s very localized. I call it the big fish and the little pond syndrome.
The ideas are wonderful, but there is no cohesiveness to it. Herding cats is hard. Consensus is hard. Once they get past this ego-bound consensus-building kind of thing, maybe it will show light into the mainstream
Intolerance of ambiguity is the mark of an authoritarian personality.
Theodor W. Adorno
Definition Authoritarian and Decidership
- a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)
- A form of government distinguished by absolute power in the executive branch of a state and little legislative or judicial control over the executive branch; the power rests generally on coercive force, rather than on the popular assembly.
- favoring complete obedience or subjection to authority as opposed to individual freedom.
- exercising complete or almost complete control over the will of another or of others:
- a person who favors or acts according to authoritarian principles.Authoritarianism at Wikipedia
Authoritarianism describes a form of social control characterized by strict obedience to the authority of a state or organization, often maintaining and enforcing control through the use of oppressive measure. Authoritarian regimes are generally considered to be highly hierarchical.
In an authoritarian form of government, citizens are subject to state authority in many aspects of their lives, including many matters that other political philosophies would see as erosion of civil liberties and freedom.............
Some Questions for Discussion:
- Is authoritarianism a Failed Conservative Value?
- What are your thoughts and questions about authoritarianism?
- Why does authoritarianism fail?
- Do you have any stories or experiences with conservative authoritarianism?
- What are examples of conservative authoritarianism?
- Conservatives accuse progressives of being authoritarian because they want to use the power of the government to change things. How do you answer that accusation?
Failed Conservative Values
Assist us in systematically building the arguments and telling the stories that reveal how Conservative Values have Failed. Join in our effort to create a documentary and book on the subject by contributing articles, posts, chapters for the book and video clips. Check our website for more information and a growing outline of tasks that need to be done on this project.
See more Progressive Values Stories:
Edwin Rutsch
What Are Progressive Values? Documentary Project
http://ProgressiveSpirit.com
and Study Group
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Yes, the DLC wing of the Democratic Party... I so appreciate Donna's comment:
...when the Democratic Leaders Council took over the running of the Democratic Party, I felt they had nothing more for me. They were just like the Republican Party.
IMO, what we need is some positive articles commending and supporting those Dems who are fighting this and other issues. Feinberg, Dodd, and Leahy need our support!
There are more of us Indies than there are Dems, or Repugs.
We will decide the outcome of the 08 election
I worry a lot more about it if Indies voted in the same proportion as registered Democrats. This time we are going to register a majority and GOTV.
A higher percentage of Indies traditionally votes than Democrats (or Republicans)
We came out in droves for congressional Democrats in 06.
They betrayed us--big time
- If Cheryl is lurking, THIS is the mini power trip I was referring to a couple of days ago
By on Jun 24, 2008 8:40 PM EDTThanks for being a perfect example, Huron
- - What are your thoughts and questions about authoritarianism?
By Huron John on Jun 24, 2008 6:29 PM EDTMy thoughts are that Pelosi and Reid exemplify the worst and most pathetic aspects of Authoritarianism.
Diss your base, and threaten otherwise decent people like Conyers, in the service of George Bush
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/m.s.-bellows/obama-adviser-well-trust_b_108904.html
Dennis McDonough, a foreign policy adviser to the Obama campaign, said in a conference call this morning that legislation expanding presidential power to conduct warrantless surveillance of Americans' communications is acceptable to Senator Obama because the United States Inspector General will ensure accountability.
In other words, the Obama campaign's position is now that the duty and power to protect the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic, now resides primarily not with the President, not with the Congress or the Courts, but with a bureaucrat created by administrative law whose job is to conduct internal investigations of government agencies.
That's a dramatic statement, but not an overstatement. The legislation that the House passed last week and the Senate will be taking up later this week not only immunizes giant telecommunications companies like AT&T from liability for violating their customers' rights under prior law -- immunity that Obama promised last year would warrant filibustering the bill, but which he now says he'll only "work" to remove -- but also greatly expands the president's ability to order eavesdrops on routine telecommunications by ordinary Americans who aren't even suspected of being associated with terrorists, which many observers see as a violation of the Fourth Amendment.
Let's hear it from all you "Political Pragmatists"
two breaks. First, it's incredulous that anyone can believe there will be accountability, and that even if there were, that this bill is acceptable in any way, shape, or form. Second, the smug snarky comment - ::sigh::
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Cowards-Compromise-by-robert-braunstein-080619-194.html
Telecom immunity they just struck a deal Selling out the people
Fascism for real.
162 billion for Iraq and Afghan
It's another compromise
It's amazing these bums can look us in the eyes.
They like to spew their crap
About who's American
To undermine the folks
Who don't much like their plan
We can't afford social security
No funds for healthcare
But for their surveillance,
The money's always there.
There is no cash problem
If they want to start a war
But when our people suffer We are broke, just like before
They "appropriate" our money
Make heroes of our worst
Then they wave the flag
And say, U.S.A. first.
What is this America they like to
Talk about?
It ain't the people anymore
We haven't got the clout
They don't trust us
They just listen to our calls
They don't care what we think or feel
They have us by the balls
They took away our freedom
That's what made us great
The people must awaken Or suffer an awful fate
The politicians are bought off
Don't count on them no more
They'll wave when you float by
And humiliate the poor
They promote lofty values
They want you to be free
To watch your life go down the drain
On a big screen tv
I like Donna's response a lot. I like that she speaks to the spectrum of conservatives and progressives and that she recognizes the DLC for what it is. However, I wish she and others would distinguish between the DLC and DNC...
bbl
Indies come from the left and the right and in-between. Why then are they considered the "center"? How come Obama is moving to the right in order to meet the Indies, or the center, when some of them are tto the left of him? I think he's moving right to get some of the Repugs, but he knows the base wouldn't like the sound of that.
I haven't seen him move anywhere. He was to the right of John Edwards in the primary and to the left of Hillary Clinton and he still is. Pretty much the dead center of the Democratic Party.
Yep.
Hillary and The DLC crowd were defeated in the primary but to complete the sweep we need Obama to win and that will mean the votes of most of them however reluctant. I can't believe McCain to be a serious alternative to any progressive and not even a conservative Blue Dog, it would have been a fun primary if Feingold had been in the race.
Obama's base is the next generation. Obama is what's next. and they are going to be Democrats, registered and voting as such in all 50 states and they will overwelm the old Nader remnants.
I will report I bought a new Republican talking point machine today because Charlie Black isn't the only thing that generates muck
and for the only time in its future would be useable in a parade on the Fourth of July to make that point
I might fly some American flags on the tractor and then label the "McCain Straight Talk Express" on the spreader and pull it through town behind the Obama Llama
Say, where is the post *rdorgan posted for Mass-holes?
- For no reason other than it is accessible from HYPEM.com and the guitar is good.
By Imn2Paine on Jun 24, 2008 8:23 PM EDTBob Dylan - Tangled Up In Blue
Pop Headwound ❤ There’s a perfectly good reason that every time Bob Dylan has released an album of new material over the past decade it gets tagged as his “best since Blood On…
- Non-profit news orgs - web based - filling the vacuum?
By Annilow on Jun 24, 2008 8:35 PM EDTThere was an interesting piece on the News Hour tonight about how cable news had turned to opinion pieces b/c it's cheaper and print newspapers are downsizing. That non-profit news orgs, especially non-profit investigative news orgs are filling a gap today. One that they cited is a group called ProPublica. I took a look at their website and will prolly start looking on a daily basis. Here it is if you'd like to take a look.
As a postscript I will say I am missing the capitalnews.org that C-SPAN has discontinued and apparently isn't replacing. It was just a news aggregate list but seemed to have the most current headlines every time I 'stopped by.'
I think it is a conspiracy to make accessibility to [x = (such that you lament)] more and more difficulty. C-SPAN is less a source for me as well. Ironic that the late great Robert Oler once inquired as to the sources we here sought out...
We have also seen the brilliance of GOOGLE become less.
thanks for the heads-up on ProPublica anni
I suppose they can....
If you have AT&T for long distance for some reason, switch to Credo. They support progressive causes and are based in San Francisco. I've had them since 1996 and they are cheap and the customer service is excellent.
Get rid of AT&T, Comcast, etc - unless they are your only choice. Dish Network is excellent for satellite service for television. Best rates and again, excellent customer service.
- always have been able to without a warrant since they are out in the open air wit "no expectation of privacy"
By Phil Specht on Jun 24, 2008 8:55 PM EDTI think they can also pick up any headsets, like drive through restaurants and even concerts if they are close enough.
...and signing up with Credo through the link up above in the righthand column makes 10% of your charges a donation to DFA, helping to keep the excellent trainings they do available, as well as this here blog.
Denise - have you run into any roaming charges as an issue? The only plan that doesn't mention them is the unlimited minutes - but none of the family plans. With all my traveling the last thing I want is a bill w/ roaming charges...
I think Comcast is gong to be the only highspeed option at my Chicagoland base 'less I get a landline there, which is totally unneeded.
My phone is on a work plan so I have no idea. I don't pay the bill and the phone belongs to them.
But when I used to pay it, if I called someone with the same service provider, neither of us would get charged any roaming, or any charges at all.
thanks for reminding me I haven't given the NSA a wedgie in ages so this "caliphate" is for you big brother
- caller today said homeland security is using military tribunals through the Coast Guard on American Citizens through some loophole in the Homeland Security formation bill
By Phil Specht on Jun 24, 2008 9:01 PM EDThave to check it out through the ?????? "news" online
- Deans are first
By Huron John on Jun 24, 2008 6:25 PM EDTBut the so-called Democratic leadership is floating around in the sewer