Posted under Europe & Politics & Ron Paul
Italians have elections this coming weekend, and the Anglo press, to the extent it has an interest, is focused on the generally neocon, but popular in the paleosphere for his ties to Lega Nord, Berlusconi, as he seeks a Lazarus like return.
The populist standard bearer is Beppe Grillo, a television star, who is using modern technology, and campaign barnstorming in tandem. The Ron Paul parallels are obvious.
Mr. Grillo is running on an ‘out of the EU’, repudiate the debt, expand Internet access, platform.
While not exactly Tea Party, the most interesting development was that this populist leader refused to join the antifa’s, or ‘anti-racists’ in Anglo terms, when it came to denouncing Casa Pound (Casa Pound, Pound as in Ezra, being considered beyond the pale, fascist to polite company, of course.) Good luck finding an Anglo-press article on this development–I can only offer a google translate.
Censorship and technology have such a ying yang relationship.
Internet metapolitics had arrived when Marie Le Pen visited Ron Paul back in April 2012–she went to see the Occupy folks right after.
Mr. Grillo, the latest to embody a very new political tradition. God’s speed.
Matt Weber on 21 Feb 2013 at 2:51 am #
I sometimes read la Repubblica, and they have been getting worked up for some time now about Berlusconi’s return. The best was where he made some comment to the effect that Mussolini wasn’t really so bad aside from all the anti-semitic laws. I wish we had politicians like this rather than inoffensive dweebs who run every word by a focus group.
RedPhillips on 21 Feb 2013 at 1:23 pm #
“expand Internet access”
When I was stationed in Italy it took 3-4 weeks to get internet hooked up to your home. I remember thinking at the time “Americans wouldn’t stand for this,” but the Italians didn’t think anything of it. It was just the way things were done there.
Sempronius on 21 Feb 2013 at 10:16 pm #
For an authentic alternative to what Italians call “la casta” you should turn to Roberto Fiore’s Forza Nuova; Italy’s Golden Dawn. Grillo’s circus is just an attempt to mimic certain popular positions of FN in an effort to divide and dissipate the patriotic vote.
Casa Pound has seen better days. It has lost it’s edge as a political flame keeper and has become a part of the domesticated Right.
Berlusconi is disliked in the Anglosphere because of his close ties with Putin and his desire to work closely with the latter on energy cooperation; which would give Italy a position of independence vis-a-vis her “Western” –ahem– allies.
It looks like it’s going to be a close election.
Sempronius on 21 Feb 2013 at 10:42 pm #
Red,
In Italy, if you want anything done, it’s good to have connections.
And if you don’t mind me asking, what part of Italy were you stationed in?
C Bowen on 21 Feb 2013 at 10:55 pm #
Semp;
When the ‘neo-fasicists’, some around Evola, and generally around the Masonic P2 Lodge began a waive of false flag bombings to blame on the Communists (and I might add Michael Ledeen comes from this ‘tradition’) I am not sure there is any mileage left on that tact.
RedPhillips on 21 Feb 2013 at 11:25 pm #
“And if you don’t mind me asking, what part of Italy were you stationed in?”
Aviano
Weaver on 22 Feb 2013 at 12:14 am #
The day “Fascists” reject genetic engineering and declare their loyalty to a tradition, race, and faith is the day I’ll listen to them. Chesterton’s Patriotic Idea is still the most beautiful defence of patriotism I’ve seen.
I doubt they’re an authentic alternative to the modernist. It looks more like smoke. I don’t say that because I’m “squeamish”: They might be daring, but I doubt what they dare is right. A friend translated for me, “habeo animum ergo sum.”
Sempronius on 22 Feb 2013 at 1:01 am #
CB,
There are rival theories regarding the “strategy of tension” and gl’anni di piombo and I have all but given up on sorting them all out.
Weave,
Fiore is a devout Catholic boy and a solid “family values” fella. He’s the father of 8 children. (All legitimate.)
Red,
Gratias tibi ago. I’ll bet you can’t speak a lick of Italian.
C Bowen on 22 Feb 2013 at 1:27 am #
Lucky Luciano cut a deal with the State and Patton had an easy landing at Sicily, and a trade route for the subject of the French Connection.
Italian neo-fascists, around a masonic lodge and Julius Evola who was alleged to not be a big fan of the Masons, set off bombs to blame the Communists, and help rightwing parties, which were really just tools of Western global finance.
Michael Ledeen, who wrote a book Universal Fascism (if likely plagiarized) and was in Italy during the P2 scandal, via back channel, employed Italian intelligence (no fingerprints of course) to produce the forged Nigerian Uranium documents that scared many a Repubican soccermom into supporting invading Iraq.
Having seen just about enough, I am with Grillo.
Savrola on 22 Feb 2013 at 2:24 am #
Semp, when was the heyday of Casa Pound as a dissident rightist party, in your mind?
Weaver on 22 Feb 2013 at 2:40 am #
I looked it up. I think I like Forza Nuova, but I do not like Golden Dawn.
I’d assumed the two were the same the way you spoke of it.
Sempronius on 23 Feb 2013 at 2:10 am #
Sav,
CP from it’s very beginning was a mix of elements. Some were militant in their outlook and others were and are under the illusion that they can make the non-Capitalist Right more “respectable” in the wider society by compromising with multiculturalism.
Over a very short period of time (CP is 1 decade old) the former have been marginalized and have steadily abandoned the org.
Weaver,
FN recently sent a delegation to Greece to participate in a rally held by GD to express it’s solidarity with and support for GD.
http://forzanuova.org/comunicati/forza-nuova-con-alba-dorata-marcia-la-nuova-europa
Kirt Higdon on 26 Feb 2013 at 4:40 pm #
Beppe Grillo’s Five Star Movement sounds more like a restaurant than a political party. I’m a big fan of Italian cuisine; Italian politics, not so much.