John Harwood serves up a delightful column examining the latest round of rhetoric inflation rampaging through our political system, with special attention paid to the "economic fascism" label being pinned on the Obama administration by former Michigan GOP chairman and failed RNC chairman candidate Saul Anunzis.
Couple of fun glimpses into the brain of Anunzis. First, he makes clear that he had no choice but to go with "fascism" because "socialism" has been miserably devalued: "We've so overused the word 'socialism' that it no longer has the negative connotation it had 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago," he told Harwood. "Fascism--everybody still thinks that's a bad thing."
Excellent. Damn the specifics. Socialism, fascism, anarcho-syndicalism--whatever "ism" sounds freshest and scariest as you're mumbling to your reflection while shaving, let's go with that one. I myself have always found the specter of agrarian socialism terrifying. All those cows, you know?
But here's the part I liked even better. Responding to fellow conservatives' concerns that hyperbole and hysteria will make the party sound kooky, Anunzis points out that he is careful not to call the president himself "fascist," but only his policies. Still, he conceded, "You've got to be careful using the term, 'economic fascism' in the right way, so it doesn't come off as extreme."
Yeah. Good luck with that, big guy.
--Michelle Cottle