I am tired of this garbage. Go back to the 2008 campaign and listen to Obama. All you got was hope and change and other vague nonsense. He never once spelled out exactly what he was going to do. Sometimes he came off sounding like a fiscal conservative. He knew he would not get elected on a leftist platform. So he did the old bait and switch. Wasn't it Ann Coulter who said all Democrats run as Republicans?

Hi. I'm a self-identified "moderate" Obama voter (also Reagan and Bush I voter) who came here from Balko's blog. I'm always interested in rational conservative points of view, and like his idea of an Arpaio Litmus Test. Unfortunately, a few scrolls down your front page I find a recommendation of Jonah Goldberg's opus, and your somewhat, er, "incomplete" definition of fascism. I guess my search for intellectually honest conservatives/libertarians must move along.

Well Matt,

Perhaps you would care to improve my definition of socialism. I'm always interested in improvement.

BTW I am of the opinion that Arpaio is scum of the earth. So at least I pass that part of the test.

Perhaps I should have said that they are all forms of Statism.

I was a communist in my youth. And I have to say that as a practical matter I can't tell the difference between the fascists and the socialists.

BTW Hayek held an opinion of fascism similar to mine. You might like to read his book:

The Road to Serfdom

for further clarification.

And you have to ask yourself - why did the Fascists of Germany call themselves National SOCIALISTS.