The New Patriotism - Agreeing With Obama

A few days ago I asked whether dissent would still be considered patriotic as it was for 8 years of the Bush Administration.

Apparently not.

Paul Ibrahim has some thoughts on dissent and the new patriotism.

Once upon a time (shortly before the November election), dissent was considered patriotic in every anti-Bush camp that practiced it. Indeed, attacking dissent was fascist and un-American.

But that was once upon a time. When Barack Obama and the Democrats took power in Washington and themselves became subject to dissent, the principle abruptly changed. Suddenly, those who preached the virtues of dissent became its harshest demonizers.

The turnaround is being illustrated right before our eyes. Obama and the Democrats are dynamically and strategically pulling the “patriotism” card to win policy debates, assigning it to their positions and using it to rebuff their opponents. And by their own words from once upon a time, their strategy is dangerous.

In announcing the so-called “stimulus” deal reached earlier this month, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid proclaimed:

“I’m really at a lack of words how to express my admiration, respect for the love of our country, the patriotism, and the courage of (the three swing senators who supported the spending bill).” (Emphasis added.)

This statement closely mirrored the words of Obama on the matter. An Obama official declared that the president had called the three senators “to thank them for their patriotism in helping advance the bill at a critical time.” (Emphasis added.)

The unambiguous implication, of course, is that if you did not help advance the bill, you are not patriotic.

But these are decidedly not isolated statements. They are very much part of a Democratic operation to demonize serious opposition as unpatriotic. And it only shows signs of accelerating.

There's more here. Not only is dissent being discouraged, it is being actively attacked as we saw with Robert Gibbs' assault on Rick Santelli and Obama's jabs at Rush Limbaugh. It's right out of Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals".