So Robert do you repudiate all that nonsense about authoritarian conservatives?

Robert: "Well, Tom mentioning Altemeyer opened up my eyes a bit. I consulted the Oracle at Google and learned some things. I'm not yet ready to give it up as lost. Do you realize that I've gotten far more mileage out of AC than I got out of my stripped down Volkswagen Rabbit diesel back in the 80s? And I got 42mpg in that thing! Why should I abandon AC now when it still has some legs? Most folks here aren't even paying attention to these exchanges much, so they won't even notice when someone tags me with a point or three.

You drove a VW Rabbit diesel?

Yeah. It was really sweet. White cabriolet, white interior and had the diesel to stick it to the Saudis. It was a real yup-mobile back in the early eighties. I reworked the fuel injection chip on the diesel to squeeze out another 10mpg. That project only took 3 months - about 1/20th of the time it takes to develop a search function for the zone. I really hated selling that car!

Well you and Tom have that in common at least, you both drive/drove German automobiles made by Hitler's automobile company. Of course Hitler was a a socialist. Folks always forget that or are in denial - a denial similar to holocaust denial. NationaleSocialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (National Socialist German Workers Party). That's the basic modus operandi of socialists:

A) Seize power by riling up the working party
B) Criticize the merchants, banks and rich folks
C) Make yourself President for life
D) Create a cult of personality around you
E) Substitute existing religions for worship of the state

"Wow. I never realized that socialists do that until you painted it out so clearly. Thanks! Chavez has done the exact same thing, as did Castro before him. The workers are really the key to the whole thing aren't they?"

Yes, indeed. They are the mobs necessary to scare the merchants, rich folks and existing politicians. The socialist leader always has some cry referring to the people. Chavez cries "long live the popular revolution" and when he does so imitates Mao's, Castro's and Hitler's cries before him. You see that authoritarianism is mandatory to the socialist seizure of power. They have to be authoritarian and corrupt, because - to put it quite simply - they don't have the support of any smart or rich folks.

Exactorola! The wealthy and educated classes always oppose the socialist takeovers. Man, now that I look at it authoritarianism is really a tool used by folks who don't have real support for their ideas. That's why capitalists don't need to strongarm people into their shops and I don't strongarm folks to post here at the zone. Thanks for making everything so much clearer!

That's what I'm here for - explaining the realities and mechanics of life. So, to sum up, we see authoritarianism is a form of control and violence used to prop up unpopular thinking. Is the patriot act authoritarianism? No, because it was voted on and passed by the people - so the people supported it. Is Chavez' gag order of the people and press authoritarianism? Yes, because he enacted the law without the people's support.

I hope the other left-o-center folks here read this! That's a great criterion for determining authoritarianism in all governments actions and rises to power! "Did the people support it?" that's an eye-opener techie! Monarchy? Authoritarianism! Mao? Authoritarianism! Castro? Authoritarianism! Lenin? Authoritarianism! I hope the rest of the world could read this post and understand the motivation - heck, the mandatory need - for authoritarianism to prop up unpopular ideas and keep the promoter of them in power!

You're welcome Robert!

By the way, you're looking a bit ghostly - you may want to get away from the computer a bit and get some California winter sunshine. It'll put some color back in your cheeks.

Another good idea! What would we do without you techie?

Hey, I put on my pants both legs at a time like everyone else who walks on water does. But thanks for the sentiment anyway.