The politics of that year [2004] are old now, but the problem remains the same, the real culture clash of American life. It's between the essence of fundamentalism - paternalism, authority, and charity - and the messy imperatives of democracy, "the din of the vox populi" once derided by Abram Vereide. It's the difference between false unity, preached from above, and real solidarity, pledged between brothers and sisters - the kinds who are always bickering.
Liberalism doesn't speak to ideals. Radicalism does.
Whoever is holding the power says, "Yeah, let's keep things civil and quiet." Whoever's outside say's, "No, I'm not going to keep things civil and quiet, I'm going to bang on the door."
The Cold War was really the great struggle of the 20th Century and it shaped American political life from top to bottom.
The Family is the oldest and arguably most influential religious political organization in Washington.
Fundamentalism is a 20th-century phenomenon, but that kind of religious fervor actually has not always been associated with conservative goals.
What the Cold War did was provide a fairly clearly defined enemy and it's easy to organize around that.
The Family in particular, but also other really **** conservatives come to call what is "Biblical Capitalism." The idea that capitalism is ordained in the Bible and that inasmuch as we interfere with the market, we're interfering with God's literal and visible hand.
Elite fundamentalism has always going to be involved with a certain set of conservative interests, but certainly not exclusively Republican.
You can recruit the populace conservatism for the interests of corporate conservatism that the two things can be married into one unholy union.
Liberals were just as engaged and using the rhetoric of a sort of a battle with the Soviets and with Communism in general, with an evil empire.
There are real radical Muslim groups out there that really are pretty villainous. You don't have to make them up.
Elite fundamentalism has always been on the corporate side of things.
What's interesting is the populace movement of fundamentalism is starting to mirror that approach that elite fundamentalism has long had of trying to have influence across the political spectrum.
My favorite forgotten President in American history is James Buchanan, who in defending really robust and sharp-elbowed debates said, "I like the noise of democracy. I like the sound of people in the streets making noise."
America is going to start happening outside of the parties.
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