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Victor Davis Hanson: The Hysterical Style in American Politics - To enact its unpopular agendas, the progressive movement must scare the people silly and gin up chaos to destroy its perceived enemies—any crisis it can.
American Greatness ^ | 18 Jan, 2024 | Victor Davis Hanson

Posted on 01/18/2024 5:26:01 AM PST by MtnClimber

The post-Joe McCarthy era and the candidacy of Barry Goldwater once prompted liberal political scientist Richard Hofstadter to chronicle a supposedly long-standing right-wing “paranoid style” of conspiracy-fed extremism.

But far more common, especially in the 21st century, has been a left-wing, hysterical style of inventing scandals and manipulating perceived tensions for political advantage.

Or, in the immortal words of Barack Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, “Never let a serious crisis go to waste.”

The 2008 economic emergency crested on September 7, with the near collapse of the home mortgage industry.

Obama took office on January 20, 2009, more than four months after the meltdown. In that interim, the officials had finally restored financial confidence and plotted a course of economic recovery.

No matter. The Obama administration never stopped hyping the financial meltdown as if it had just occurred. That way, it rammed through Obamacare, massive deficit spending, and the vast expansion of the federal government. All that stymied economic growth and recovery for years.

In 2016, Donald Trump was declared Hitler-like and an existential threat to democracy.

Amid this derangement syndrome, any means necessary to stop him were justified: the Russian collusion hoax, impeachment over a phone call, or the Hunter laptop disinformation farce.

Eventually, the left sought to normalize the once unthinkable: removing the leading presidential candidate from state ballots and indicting him in state and local courts.

Nothing was off limits—not forging a federal court document, calling for a military coup, rioting on Inauguration Day, or radically changing the way Americans voted in presidential elections.

In October 2017, allegations surfaced about serial sexual predation by liberal cinema icon Harvey Weinstein.

The #MeToo furor immediately followed.

(Excerpt) Read more at amgreatness.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: vdh; victordavishanson
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1 posted on 01/18/2024 5:26:01 AM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

There does not seem to be a boundary on leftist behavior. I guess that is why they have so many famous genocides.


2 posted on 01/18/2024 5:26:21 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page. More photos added.)
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To: texas booster

VDH ping


3 posted on 01/18/2024 5:26:50 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page. More photos added.)
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To: MtnClimber
Just like children, the uneducated and drunks...hysterics is the Liberal default status...it levels the playing field perfectly. Scratch the surface and all Liberals are one nano particle away from clinical hysteria

It's a level of functioning where logic or intellect are negated and don't apply, so it puts them (they think) on a par with more intelligent, informed and mature people.

They like being hysterical

4 posted on 01/18/2024 5:35:24 AM PST by SMARTY ("A lie which is half a truth is ever the blackest of lies." Tennyson)
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To: MtnClimber

“ There does not seem to be a boundary on leftist behavior.”

There isn’t. Hence my tagline.

L


5 posted on 01/18/2024 5:35:37 AM PST by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is. )
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To: MtnClimber

>> they have so many famous genocides

giving new meaning to: “scared to death”


6 posted on 01/18/2024 5:38:51 AM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist! )
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To: MtnClimber

“There does not seem to be a boundary on leftist behavior”

The absence of humility and a complete lack of fear of The Lord gives birth to that behavior.

Few democrat politicians I know of believe in a Supreme Being....without that concern, in their minds they are free to “Do what thou wilt”...no conscience, no boundaries, no bottom to hit.

IOW lost.


7 posted on 01/18/2024 5:41:07 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: MtnClimber
Perfect photo to accompany the article. The brainwashing seems deep if not irreparable on this poor gal.

She at one time was very attractive someone Lazz would surely hit, even now in his depressed state, but all the hate and stupidity flowing between those ears has taken its toll. Damn the leftards in academia, they are the ones that own much of today’s chaos in society.

IMG-0204

8 posted on 01/18/2024 5:47:52 AM PST by bigfootbob (Arm Up and Live Free!)
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To: MtnClimber

The hysterical style is one aspect of the Cluster B culture we have been dragged into.


9 posted on 01/18/2024 5:51:54 AM PST by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative. )
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To: MtnClimber

.


10 posted on 01/18/2024 6:04:13 AM PST by sauropod (The obedient always think of themselves as virtuous rather than cowardly.)
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To: MtnClimber

Hard to keep people at a fevered pitch continually. The more they rant and rave, the more people will tune out.


11 posted on 01/18/2024 6:07:19 AM PST by randita (I will support Ron DeSantis in the primary.)
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To: MtnClimber

Terror is the only way their system works. As they get more power, they will create more terror


12 posted on 01/18/2024 6:22:50 AM PST by wafflehouse ("there was a third possibility that we hadn't even counted upon" -Alice's Restaurant Massacree)
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To: 5th MEB; 6ppc; Alberta's Child; Alouette; AndyJackson; Aria; artichokegrower; ...
Ping! Out to the Victor Davis Hanson list

Sometimes real, sometimes hyped crises lead to these contrived left-wing hysterias—like the January 6 violent “armed insurrection” or the “fascist” “ultra-MAGA” threat.

Otherwise, the progressive movement cannot enact its unpopular agendas. So it must scare the people silly and gin up chaos to destroy its perceived enemies—any crisis it can.

Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Please read and digest. Bookmarking for later is also allowed.

FR Index of his articles: Victor Davis Hanson on FR

Town Hall: Victor Davis Hanson on Town Hall

American Greatness: Victor Davis Hanson on American Greatness

His website: Victor Davis Hanson

Please let me know if you want on or off this new VDH ping list.

As a reminder, Professor Hanson has asked that we do not post the full article of his writings. Thank you for following the link to finish his article.

Content created by the Center for American Greatness, Inc. is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a significant audience.

13 posted on 01/18/2024 6:38:39 AM PST by texas booster (Join FreeRepublic's Folding@Home team (Team # 36120) Cure Alzheimer's!)
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To: Taxman

ping


14 posted on 01/18/2024 6:45:07 AM PST by Taxman ((SAVE AMERICA! VOTE REPUBLICAN IN 2024! SAVE AMERICA!))
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To: MtnClimber

BTTT


15 posted on 01/18/2024 7:17:46 AM PST by nopardons
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To: bigfootbob

hysterical

Etymology:

From hysteric +‎ -al, from Latin hystericus, from Ancient Greek ὑστερικός (husterikós, “suffering in the womb, hysterical”), from ῠ̔στέρᾱ (hustérā, “womb”).


16 posted on 01/18/2024 7:20:06 AM PST by Jeff Chandler (THE ISSUE IS NEVER THE ISSUE. THE REVOLUTION IS THE ISSUE.)
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To: MtnClimber

btt


17 posted on 01/18/2024 7:30:59 AM PST by GailA (Land Grabs, Poisoned Food, KILL the COWS, Bidenomics=BIDEN DEPRESSION.)
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To: MtnClimber

.


18 posted on 01/18/2024 7:37:40 AM PST by Grampa Dave ("Every single one of us should lose any hope with the Biden and Joe Pedo's Lovers!)
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To: MtnClimber
“...the whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary.” --- H. L. Mencken, In Defense Of Women.
19 posted on 01/18/2024 7:52:39 AM PST by Hiddigeigei ("Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish," said Dionysus - Euripides)
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To: Hiddigeigei

Wow! You beat me to it. I was going to post that quote...:)

Nice job!


20 posted on 01/18/2024 8:04:48 AM PST by rlmorel ("The stigma for being wrong is gone, as long as you're wrong for the right side." (Clarice Feldman))
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