Probably no group of issues will lay out the starkest differences between Swedish Lites and Socialist Ambers than the coming culture wars between the two wings of the socialist party in America.
      As we wrote earlier, much of this will be carried on outside the usual tabloids of kiss-and-tell politics and salacious celebrity news, as the information sources of the new regime will be managed before these fireworks get out of hand. But no matter, the ordinary citizen, conservatives and Republican one and all will have very little to say about it anyway. We will just notice a change in television format or movie fare.
      For background, remember that the Swedish Lite wing of the American Left envision an America established along the line of the European social democracies. Stupidly they are accomplishing this just as their European models are about to implode under the weight of their own bureaucratic excess. Culturally, they see an America where every city has a zoned sector for prostitution, a needle park, abortion clinics and various assisted suicide facilities. only they see it with the glitter of Broadway and the glitz of Vegas...and the jiggle of roller bladers at Huntington Beach.  Europe doesn't quite have the gay colors of America. Try chiaroscuro. They have the plainer temperament of socialism, sort of like pigeons roosting in New York after choking on the pollution for fifty years. It's in their blood. For some sense of these lives in hues of grey and brown, I suggest "The Lives of Others", the dubbed film about life under the East Germans, especially the scene of the overweight prostitute the Stasi major invites to service him at his apartment. Have you ever visited a European brothel? Remember the bright and dark scenes of Berlin in Woody Allen's "Casino Royale"? It's like an unlit alley in east Berlin.  There's no music, no Yahoo, whooo--eee, Howdy Partner! Or so I've been told by people who frequent those places. European pleasure palaces are not where randy fellows go to hoorah. They are either for sour German victims of socialism, or drunks.
      Since the American Left has utilized all the elements of the popular culture; film, music, television, even video games, to finally obtain the defeat of the moral and constitutional right, they naturally assume they can continue in this same direction, again, unaware their European models are about to come unraveled. In their minds things should continue much as they always have. They see years and years ahead of endless wealth creation (and taxation) by the beautiful people in the arts sector.
      Having been focused entirely on the Republicans, they've been ignorant of that threat from their "further" left, but yessiree bob, it's right there, waiting in the wings. In one sense the cultural and religious Right have to root for the hard Left in this battle. For one, they will accomplish in the culture many of the things we wish we could have done ourselves (but had to keep putting it off because we might lose lose our tee time) and two, once in total charge, the Swedish Lites in America, unlike their European brethren would suddenly and harshly turn fascist, for under no circumstances are they going to allow that fat, juicy teat they're gorging themselves on be jerked out of their mouths. As we've said before, Pelosi & Reid & Co are bandits more than true socialists. The size of the looted Jewish art collection in Austrian points to the simple fact the thieves were more bandits than socialists.
       Hardcore socialists are more predictable if not more strident. More than that, true socialism is puritanical, even to the point of eccentricity if they are indeed adding a little Islamic lemon to their caravan tea. (This remains to be seen.)
       We believe you will not recognize America entertainment in thirty years. There will still be film. I have seen dozens of really fine Soviet films from the Stalin and Brezhnev era. Even without captions they are very good. Hollywood will still find and hire fine cinematographers. There will be great scripts. And visual excellence. But don't look for sex, bare T&A, a celebration of gayness, or even a celebration of diversity. One unending theme (and morale) in socialist film will be the virtue of sameness in people, dour and tight lipped, looking neither right nor left. Other than the screed film against capitalism and selfishness, masterfully portrayed, this is what you will get.
        Worse, the celebrity business in Hollywood will be seriously diminished. I have nothing personally against that Hilton girl, but she's history. And at her age, so will be her fortune. What will People Magazine and the Yahoo Home page do?
        Television will turn dreary, its coming down taking several years by a kind of attrition. Your grand-children will yearn for stories as ribald and festive as "Father Knows Best", so keep those old VHS's. As we said, 24/7 news may also fade away, as the last thing the state will want you know is what is actually going on in the world. Read a book. But cable will be filled with BBC like horticulture and nature programming, and yes, the ever-popular Weather Station, which will claim an even greater part of Americans' attention in coming years. Weather, world weather, will replace war and strife...until a new capitalist enemy emerges. "If if snows, it leads."
         The same for music. Hip-Hop, Gangsta Rap etc had immense public utility for the Left, but will have no place in socialism. I can't see black music going back to the Mills Brothers or The Platters, but with a full-employment economy, and almost none of them private music entrepreneurs, your guess is as good as mine as to where pop music will go. Paul Mauriat?
         And save that $300 on that X-Box 360 for you'll find yourself selling it this time next year for $50 just for half a tank of gas. First, your kids won't have time, and second, the range of games will fall back to the dark ages of Pong.
         It ain't good, girls and boys. At least it ain't if you're on the pop side of the culture wars.
         What hath the useful idiots wrought?
         On themselves?
BChumm