Dissent is no longer the highest form of patriotism

Tigerhawk comments on Glenn Reynold's article concerning the noble history of political dissent and the changing attitude of the media toward dissent in the Age of Obama:

Remember: When lefties do it, it's called "community organizing." When conservatives and libertarians do it, it's "astroturf."

He also links the "funnier" Mark Steyn piece I discussed in an earlier post. Tigerhawk has some interesting comments and questions about why many on the right have suddenly turned to "outdoor political activities", something with which they're not entirely comfortable. His observations reflect his experience in the business world:

So what has changed? , , , , , I suppose that most righties did not know there was such a thing as a "community organizer" until the Democrats nominated one as their presidential candidate. Now that we know what it is and how effective it can be, we're learning to do it.

Too bad the left hasn't learn to create jobs. Then we'd be getting somewhere.

Horribly unfair political humor.

Every law, regulation, or program should be examined to see whether it encourages people to be self-reliant, competent, producers, or dependant, incompetent, consumers. Of course, the big and tragic question is whether Washington Republicans are too much the tools of really big business to think that way any longer.

Emphasis mine. The recent bailouts are a stunning reminder that corporate welfare dispensed by both Republicans and Democrats tends to favor the largest business interests, including those which are considered "too big to fail". Democrats, in addition, confer benefits on Big Labor and Big Law, among other interest groups. The mad frenzy by the Democratic Congress to dispense money to their constituents in the form of a "stimulus package" was highly disturbing. People trying to make it on their own in business or people who don't want much involvement with government or politics are left with increasingly less "wiggle room" (as Tigerhawk calls it in a different post, with reference to business capital).

Many of those who are now hitting the streets as protesters for the first time in their lives feel that their freedoms are being boxed into smaller and smaller spaces by government.

Note to Paul Krugman: Relax. These protests are not all that new.