AMERIKA, DU HAT ES BESSER. Der Spiegel offers a roundup of German commentary on political developments in the United States, including this gem from Handelsblatt.

In the US, people ... spend time and money supporting the Republicans. Unlike in Germany, in America, which never had a Hitler, being 'right-wing' is not taboo. 'Right-wing' represents Reagan, religion, the free market, individualism, patriotism and small government. In reality, it is an impossible mixture: National pride, God and tradition are conservative 'us' values. The profit motive, competition and a weak state are 'me-first' sentiments ... . But this mixture of conservative values and neoliberalism works well in America, where it transcends social class -- that's the difference to Germany.

Sure, there are fearmongers who see the totalitarian potential in ordinary voters pushing back against the technocrats. It is, however, the tension between what a German might understand as conservative values (nationalism and One Faith) and what a German does not understand (freedom of enterprise, freedom of choice) that keeps the pushback from becoming either tyranny or anarchy. Or, to steal a phrase from the diversoids, a salad dressing is also an impossible mixture. And, forgive the rudeness, what is so right-wing about affirmative action for Bavarians underrepresented (relative to Prussians) in the officer class or (relative to Jews) in retail and banking, or voluntary deprivation to spare food for people more hungry than you?