Jack Risko of Dinocrat.com refers to the decadent wing of American culture — exemplified by the Sundance Film Festival — as Little Weimar. Funded by foundations, given tenure, or otherwise insulated from the marketplace, it turns inward and self—referential, establishing "truths" which are nothing more than endlessly repeated lies and distortions. Ward Chruchill may be its most prominent exemplar right now, but there are many other contenders.

Jack asks us to consider the role of the New Media, by which he means Fox News, talk radio, and the blogosphere, in combatting the decades—long momentum of Little Weimar. I think he is onto something here. The money which insulates Little Weimarfrom the market is not infinite. While foundations are hopelessly unaccountable in the short run, corporate sponsors (read the list of companies funding Sundance's vileness!) cannot pubicly stand behind that which they fund, if the New media bring them to account. In the long run, foundations, which are mostly driven by prestige considerations, can also be influenced. the key is information. And technology and time are on our side.

Thomas Lifson  2 20 05