There is a precedent for the Bush Project, but it�s not fascism By George Monbiot. Guardian

The Peoples Poet, the man of the masses ol G Monbiot has struck again...

read this:

www.monbiot.com...-903

[/ Hmmmmm.....

[edit on 16/11/2004 by Corinthas]

It's too bad the 17th century didn't have the internet....If its really a puritain revolution in the making I think it should be relatively easy to destroy...it is seen in the eyes of the masses as somethign powerless but if looked differently could be immobilized in my opinion.

Wierd oops' post doesent seem to appear...

[/ Hmmmm....

Is he really the only one willing to comment on this article or could no one be bothered to read it?

Puritanism?

Yes, I'd agree that is certainly part of what is going on.

I liked the parallels regarding 'business for business' and helping the poor makes people poor.....the names change but so many themes and instincts remain constant (amazing that they had so many gangs of poor beggars in England for so long though - immortalised in thwe song "Hark hark the dogs do bark, the beggars are coming to town!", what with a total lack of welfare state and only the most minimal parish-based assistance available) , huh?

Blame the poor for being poor; same old same old.

Yeah dammit the poor should just work harder etc etc..

Kidding btw incase your sarcometer didn't go off..

Nice find, very interesting blog. I'm not so sure about the 'disparaging of the poor' tho. Bush is supposed to have worked with 'disadvantaged youths' in his early poltical career, and does seem to genuinely feel that they suffer "a misfortune to be pitied and relieved". The idea of "compassionate conservatism' which he was pushing certainly doesn't fit into this, however hypocritical one thinks it is.

Also, the bloger notes that in this puritanism there is " an individualist morality, and an individualist morality[leads] to a disparagement of the significance of the social fabric�. But republicans and bush in particular are pretty big on 'moral and social' fabrics and community. I'll definitely agree that some of the straussians in the bush administration might find lots of this puritanism that strikes a chord with them, but I am not so convinced that bush himself does. Also, just look at the issue of school vouchers, wherein public funds are used to send 'disadvantaged' kids in 'failing' schools into successful private schools (disturbingly, they allow sectarian schools to receive these vouchers). That seem quite anti-thetical to 'do it yourself'ism, effectively rewarding people who can't hack it.

Nonetheless the general point is taken, its certainly an interesting way to look at it, and, obviously, the author has taken the time to research the issue.

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from my perspective
Bush is not the architect of this 1630s revival of puritanism

it's just that the liberal left went way overboard
and created this backlash, which in turned spawned into
the recent mindset which resulted in the 2004 re-election mandate

the roe v wade, and fed courts which dispense their own laws,
the ACLU, among others, are in the 'cross-hairs'
there's a whole lot more to happen in the next 4 years

~.~