Time to wake up. The Nazis are at the door.

[Cyrano]

Alright, it's time to stop using the polite phrase "fascists" regarding the Bush administration and their allies in congress, the media and the (lunatic fringe) pews. We're talking about Nazis, Huns, Barbarians, the Inquisition, the Salem witch trials, or whatever historical analogy for evil with which you want to label them.

These are people who have sanctioned torture, arrests of American citizens without charges, (Jose Padilla is one of the few we know about), elections that can't be verified, the impossibility to hold demonstrations within sight of King George and other innumerable crimes against the Constitution and the citizens of the United States.

Now they're seeking the destruction of Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, day care, food stamps, science, state/religion separation, and so much more that represents any rational definition of decency, intelligence and civilization.

In short, we are dealing with some of the worst sewerage this world has seen in out lifetimes. So what do we do about it? I personally, am donating, writing letters, chewing the edge of a rug and going absolutely bugshit that we have no effective way to stop them.

Our only hope, is winning back the senate next year. (The house of representatives is out of reach thanks to DeLay's Texas coup.)

If you think you can't make a difference, donate to Democratic Party causes (judiciously), write to your congressman and senator, send letters to the editor, or just plain talk out loud to your friends, acquaintances and coworkers. And yes, doing so is risky and may jeopardize friendships, jobs, and, depending on where you live, your safety. (What a horrible thought in 21st century America.) But those on the other side don't hesitate to publicly and loudly attack us. Drop any illusions you may have about them whether they are family or friends. They are either fools or willing participants in the destruction of our freedoms -- and perhaps our very existence.

[mattclearing]

1. Democrat is not an adjective.

Otherwise, very nice.

[Cyrano]

13. tasteblind: thanks for the grammatical reminder. I fixed it .

I'd also like to hear your views on the political aspects of this posting.

[mattclearing]

17. Godwin's Law applies.

I know they're Nazis. You know they're Nazis.

But if you call them Nazis, no one outside DU and Owl Farm will take you seriously.

The reason most often cited is that they haven't killed enough people yet.

So we are to refrain from calling them Nazis until they have matched or bested Hitler's death total.

Luckily for us, they are way ahead of Hitler's schedule...he took years to start killing people...Bush has already gotten at least 50,000 people killed, and estimates go as high as 150,000, and that's just counting the Iraq war, 9/11, Afghanistan, and domestic policies.

Hitler was in power for 12 years, but didn't actually get down to business until the last five.

We haven't even gotten through Bush's first five.

[El Fuego]

2. The House is out of reach?

Why is that? I did not know about this. :(

[FloridaPat]

3. Repubs have pretty much gerrymanded everything int heir favor.

Still working on it too.

[Capn Sunshine]

16. Remember, the Dems gerrymandered for 20 years also.

yet somehow the Republicans got the upper hand.
Don't give up so easily.

Yes, I'm calling you a wimp (collectively)
One of the most dangerous attitudes we have to confront in this fight is that defeatist " it won't make any difference anyway" attitude so popular with Gen X.

[ashmanonar]

4. i would not defile barbarians by putting them in that category.

the word was originally used to describe rustic people (albeit with a negative connotation), no more. it grew to have worse connotations bc the romans thnought they were the gods' chosen people. i think using hun would be a similar blunder. now nazis, inquisition, witch hunting, etc, i'd say you've got a good start there. dictator is a good word too. tyrant, terrorist, etc. terrorist would definitely bring up a good image.

[Cyrano]

6. Okay, I stand corrected. How about if we just call them

the most dangerous group of pricks that have gathered together within the past half century or so to fuck the civilized world.

Sorry to get down and dirty about this, but they really are some of the worst sewer rats to gain power in quite a while.

Yeah, I know about Pol Pot and that piece of shit from Bosnia. I don't care what label is put on this administration. I just want to see them all brought to trial at the international court in the Hague.

[ashmanonar]

8. yep.

i agree with your definition there. same thing i've said in another thread: why call bush gay when you can calll him a corporatist asshole who takes care of his friends over the good of the nation and wants to screw us into oblivion? it's not like the gay thing would actually be worthwhile.

[LTRS]

5. It's too late

The media is lazy and/or controlled by corporations who are the cronies of the republican party. Our dem politicans suck and for the most part are totally spineless. I mean come on -- we send tons of roses to a politician because she is the ONLY one that will stand up to them on ONE day? Hell, we've come to the point where we except them all to act cowardly and cave to the republicans or why else would be get so excited on the rare occasions when ONE of them doesn't? It's pathetic.

On top of that you have a public that is immune to outrage... about lying us into a war; about billions of dollars that the CPA can't account for; about billions of dollars in no bid contracts to friends; about Delay being bought and paid for by lobbyists (even though that is clearly illegal); about lying about the cost of a Medicare prescription drug bill; about a president who was AWOL from his post when he was in the service and SMEARS a war hero as part of his campaign. And then we are smugly informed that republicans represent good values by all the TV talking heads and that's why they won.

And the public just sucks it up. No one gives a shit -- no one cares. It's Nazi Germany all over again.

[Cyrano]

7. Can't disagree with anything you say. Jeeeez, we are so fucked.

[Frederik]

9. From a European perspective

I wonder what the hell happened to the nation that fostered Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, JFK and Martin Luther King... America used to be the promised land, the big dream, the Leader of the Free World, the shining beacon on the hill. I know it never quite lived up to its idealized image, but something has definetly happened and I must admit that it scares me. And the weird thing is that there seems to be so little resistance, like you say. Isn't this the most freedom-loving people in the world, supposedly? Seems like it's in your hands now, DUers. Older relatives have told me enough about what happened roughly 60 years ago that I can say with certainty: letting that happen is NOT an option (but I don't have to tell you that). I *never* thought I'd even think of making that comparison, but everyting just feels very wrong about this regime, and if the economy collapses - which they almost seem intent on bringing about - I'm worried that the situation could be eerily reminiscent of you-know-what. The tell-tale early warning signs of totalitarianism are easy to spot alread.

I still hope for the best case scenario: The American people will realize the war in Iraq was a bad idea, reject the idea of more wars, elect a Democrat in '08, who will get the economy in order and reverse the worst errors of the Chimp, and then we'll go on to rebuild the UN and American power will fade somewhat and we'll enter an age of peaceful multipolarity and international cooperation.

But somehow, I don't know...

[Cyrano]

11. Dear Frederik: From your name and your remarks, I assume you are German.

I spent much of my life wondering how Germans, some of the most enlightened people in the world, could have been taken in by Hitler and his band of thugs. No more. I now understand it fully.

What I see happening in this country is something I would have thought to be impossible. Our so-called media (from the NY Times, to the Washington Post, to network news) are just mouthing any piece of shit Karl Rove decides to vomit up.

The people of this country have been dumbed down to care more about Michael Jackson stories than about their government and their own well being (whether the issue be financial, medical, personal privacy, or freedoms we have always taken for granted).

I wish I could say, "Fuck anyone who voted for Bush. They deserve whatever they get." But it's all other Americans and the rest of the world that are getting screwed by the BushCo band of criminals.

Had I been a German during the 30s and 40s, I would have spent the rest of my life asking for the world's forgiveness. As an American at the beginning of the 21st century, I find that I am now in the position of asking the world's forgiveness for the horrors being perpetrated by my country.

[Pachamama]

15. My family escaped Nazi Germany - the conversations we are all having here

at the DU and at our own dinner tables about the Bush Administration are no different from the ones that my Grandparents and Great Grandparents had at their dinner table in the late 1930's about "der Verueckter" that was running their country. My family questioned what was going on. They were Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers....they had lots of Jewish friends that they watched first be discriminated against and then arrested and taken away. After Kristall Nacht, they knew that they had to leave. Because they had money and had money outside of the country, they were able to leave and get out of the country. My Grandparents used to talk to me all the time about "how it happened" that the Fascists and Nazi's took over. Years later when I lived in Europe and would drive by a concentration camp (Dachau) on my way to work, I often asked myself those questions about Germans and how people living in the Dachau and Munich area could have seen the ashes (like snow) falling in the summmer from the sky and not be fighting these people. By then it was too late. They needed to be fighting back and asking questions early on....

And I do say "Screw anyone who voted for Bush, they deserve whatever they get"...but your right, the problem is that its all the others who didn't vote for Bush and the rest of the world that is getting screwed by the Bush Co Cabal.

Your analogy to Germany isn't so far fetched....we are on the same path as Germany was in the 1930's....is America going to wake up before its too late? Based on the fact that most are more concerned with the Michael Jackson trial or Scott Petersen sentencing or the BTK killer than they are about what is going on in this administration, with the War on Iraq and around the world (not to mention our economy and the out of control deficit and what that is going to mean down the road), we are all screwed.

My husband and I are currently putting money outside of the country and buying property in Canada. I'm listening to the lessons of my Grandparents....

[LTRS]

14. Corporations controlling the media is what did it

That was the tipping point. Cons (and yes, let's call them what they are - conservatives = con artists)have always had the same crappy values and the same filled with lies talking points -- but the corp media is what allowed their BS to become "conventional wisdom."

Just goes to show the importance of a truly independent, free press.

[Liberty Belle]

10. Sound the alarm bells in your community, and get people

to speak up to their Republican legislators as well as Democrats.

For instance, I just found an article about the education cuts proposed in the budget. Bush wants to eliminate all school counselors and a bunch of other important programs no sane person would axe. Disgusted, I found an e-mail list for parents at my daughter's school and hit "send" to every one of them--regardless of party affiliation. I included our Republican Congressman's phone number and suggested everyone call to complain.

We must all do this. Belong to a list-serve for your professional occupation? A woman's club or sports group? Start circulating these stories, folks, and wake America up.

[Robeson]

12. Well, there's not much I can add, that posts 5,9, and 11....

...didn't already say. I would just be redundant after those....

[Discord]

18. Don't forget probably the most revelant comparrison...

The Crusades!

The rhetoric and atmosphere in this country right now really reminds me of it. Especially with all the talk of religion and its increasing role in politics.