Say what you will about the tenets of national socialism...

Jonah Goldberg has a new book out. It's not exactly new ground, and it's under fire for a number of reasons (see here and here for some examples). It's a shame that he managed to screw up such an easy topic. The knee-jerk labeling of conservatives as fascists is a problem that could use a thoughtful examination, but writing the book equivalent of "I know you are but what am I" doesn't count as thoughtful. Then again, the majority of criticism I've seen is the "Nuh-Uh!" variety, so neither side is doing very well.

All this substanceless back-and-forth has a purpose, though. If either side actually addressed the merits of the underlying argument, they would have to admit that there are plenty of fascists filling the ranks of both Team Blue and Team Red. Both teams have prominent members that support increasing the welfare state, restricting speech, curtailing civil liberties, increasing the War on Drugs, encouraging nationalism (or "national greatness"), expanding state surveillance, and enlarging the state's realm of power. Anyone who follows politics should be able to name a number of politicians from both teams who engage in all those behaviors.

However, such an analysis requires admitting that the battle between Team Red and Team Blue is just a bunch of shadows on a cave wall, and no major pundit is going to do that because it's bad business. Calling attention to the cave wall isn't going to sell millions of books, generate TV interviews, and create name recognition. Only properly identifying the shadows will get publicity with the cave dwellers. Everything else is a distraction, and distractions cannot be tolerated when election 2008 is going to be the most important election of our lives. Voting for the wrong shadows will destroy your freedom, and don't you forget it.