[quote=wooga]Hedges adds the the only difference between a liberal and conservative in todays America is a conservative has values worth fighting for.

If you compare the “big centralized government” wings of the two parties this is correct. You have the progressives/Obama on the left and neocon/Bush (aka ‘compassionate conservative’) on the right. Both favor the merger of corporations and state – with the difference being the neocons want corporations in the driver seat and the state acting as an arm of the corporations (corporatism), and the progressives want the state in the driver seat and the corporations acting as an arm of the state (fascism). And yes, those are the historically accurate terms.[/quote]

Well, this is a common secular libertarian narrative which overlaps with an anarchist narrative. One interesting thing that I have watched emerge over the past 5 or 6 years is the different narratives. The far left and libertarian right have a common narrative on the complete corruption that is taking place(which I agree with) – which led to our economic situation – with some minor variations. Whereas, the mainstream right completely explains it away in a different way(a way that I think is ideologically pleasing rather than based on reality) and the mainstream left kind of acknowledges it, but not with their party(though it is dramatically changing). The tend to turn a blind eye with their party.

But the problem is, how would you even tell the difference between “state” decisions and “corporate” decisions under this construct. These positions are all held by people that are either lawyers or businessmen – with a rotating cast of private industry folks in key appointment positions from the same multi-nationals. When hedges was speaking he was talking more from a “spiritual” angle than structural. People get hung up on definitions and “isms” in todays world – we have one guiding “ism” with all the dominant minority which both parties serve- it’s profitism. All we have in DC are prostitutes for money and they will DO whatever it takes to get campaign money(which is systemically perform) and SAY what ever it takes to get votes(which is do a little dance for their constituents and practice their righteous indignation). Within both parties this produces a different type insanity.