The American Spectator

The Spectacle Blog

Speaking as an old newspaper editor, I mainly wish they would make up their minds whether it's hyphenated or not, but either way, the right wing is making news today.

First, your tax dollars at work: Stephen Gordon has obtained a new Department of Homeland Security report provocatively entitled "Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Environment Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment."

The DHS report describes as potential terrorists those who "are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration." This is a conspiracy so immense, one witty fellow observed, as to involve Mark Krikorian, David Boaz, Antonin Scalia, and just about everyone who didn't vote for Obama in November.

These extremists are wealthy beyond your wildest imagination, according to Paul Krugman, who sees "the usual group of right-wing billionaires" orchestrating the nationwide Tax Day Tea Party protests Wednesday.

Echoing the "JournoList-approved Meme of the Week," Krugman names Dick Armey and Fox News as the fiendish right-wingers bankrolling this scheme, which is kind of a surprise to me. I'm driving down to Alabama for the big Birmingham-area Tea Party at Veterans Park in Hoover, Ala., and so far that fat check from Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy HQ hasn't arrived in my mailbox.

This apparent lack of coordination between the "right-wing billionaires" and the "Rightwing Extremists" probably explains why they can't agree on that hyphen.