American Fascism? read & decide for yourself

[StarsInHerHair]

http://www.examiner.com/la-county-nonpartisan-in-los-angeles/american-fascism-by-political-definition-the-us-is-now-fascist-not-a-constitutional-republic

"Please read this article like a prima facie legal argument; that means unless you can refute the facts, they stand as our best understanding of the issue. Here, if you can’t refute the evidence that the US is now a fascist state, then accept this as your best understanding. As time passes, if evidence is brought forward to further the case for fascism or refute it, your comprehensive understanding improves. Here we go:

Definitions:
The definition of “fascism” has some academic variance, but is essentially collusion among corporatocracy, authoritarian government, and controlled media and education. This “leadership” is only possible with a nationalistic public accepting policies of war, empire, and limited civil and political rights."....

[teddy51]

1. And getting further into it every day! There is no doubt that we have either entered

into fascism or are certainly on the cusp. Both Naomi Watts, and Naomi Klein have been talking about this for some time now. Many of us probably thought that with an Obama Administration, we would start to decline from this. That does not seem to be the case, however.

[StarsInHerHair]

3. yeah we're being eased into it, step by step

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American fascism: by political definition the US is now fascist, not a constitutional republic

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Carl Herman
, LA County Nonpartisan Examiner
December 14, 2009 - Like this? Subscribe to get instant updates.

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We hold these Truths to be self-evident...

Look in any textbook or encyclopedia and compare US policy (not rhetoric) to the definitions of fascism and constitutional republic. I’ll explain it here, but check my work. If at the end of your consideration, you agree that the United States of America is now a fascist state, please speak-up about it. Also, consider the policy requests at the end of the article.
Please read this article like a prima facie legal argument; that means unless you can refute the facts, they stand as our best understanding of the issue. Here, if you can’t refute the evidence that the US is now a fascist state, then accept this as your best understanding. As time passes, if evidence is brought forward to further the case for fascism or refute it, your comprehensive understanding improves. Here we go:

..."Definitions:
The definition of “fascism” has some academic variance, but is essentially collusion among corporatocracy, authoritarian government, and controlled media and education. This “leadership” is only possible with a nationalistic public accepting policies of war, empire, and limited civil and political rights.

“Constitutional republic” is a political philosophy of limited government, separated powers with checks and balances to ensure the federal government’s power stays limited within the Constitution, protected civil liberties, and elected representatives responsible to the people who retain the most political power. In the US we also embrace inalienable rights of the Declaration of Independence, and creative independence to cooperatively compete for our nation’s best ideas to move forward and be rewarded.

History:
The United States was structured as a constitutional republic. Before we consider the US present condition, let us contextualize our concern from the nation’s Founders’ grave admonishments and doubts as to Americans’ ability to retain it. If you honor America at all, give their most serious warnings your full attention for the next 1,000 words spanning from Ben Franklin to Abraham Lincoln.

On September 18, 1787, just after signing the US Constitution, Benjamin Franklin met with members of the press. He was asked what kind of government America would have. Franklin: “A republic, if you can keep it.” In his speech to the Constitutional Convention, Franklin admonished: “This is likely to be administered for a course of years and then end in despotism... when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.” The Quotable Founding Fathers, pg. 39

“The right of a nation to kill a tyrant, in cases of necessity, can no more be doubted, than to hang a robber, or kill a flea. But killing one tyrant only makes way for worse, unless the people have sense, spirit and honesty enough to establish and support a constitution guarded at all points against the tyranny of the one, the few, and the many. Let it be the study, therefore, of lawgivers and philosophers, to enlighten the people's understandings and improve their morals, by good and general education; to enable them to comprehend the scheme of government, and to know upon what points their liberties depend; to dissipate those vulgar prejudices and popular superstitions that oppose themselves to good government; and to teach them that obedience to the laws is as indispensable in them as in lords and kings.” - John Adams, A Defence of the Constitutions of Government (1787), Ch. 18."...

[canoeist52]

8. Oops..that should be Naomi Wolf - not Watts

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/apr/24/usa.comment Fascist America, in 10 easy steps

[sad sally]

2. Check - the US is in a spiral run down the rabbit hole...

And it remains so today, even though the Obama administration has long avoided the term "Global War on Terror." As Brennan made utterly clear in his speech, President Obama considers us "at war" anywhere that al-Qaeda, its minions, wannabes, or simply groups of irregulars we don’t much care for may be located. Given this mentality, there is little reason to believe that, on September 11, 2021, we won’t still be "at war."

So pay no attention to the legalisms. Put away those dictionaries. Ignore the "debates" between the White House and Congress, or State and Defense. Otherwise you’ll miss the predatory magic.

from Tom Engelhardt's "Sex and the Single Drone"

[StarsInHerHair]

4. more: insight into WHY W got US into "war without end"

“Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few. In war, too, the discretionary power of the Executive is extended; its influence in dealing out offices, honors, and emoluments is multiplied; and all the means of seducing the minds, are added to those of subduing the force, of the people. The same malignant aspect in republicanism may be traced in the inequality of fortunes, and the opportunities of fraud, growing out of a state of war, and in the degeneracy of manners and of morals engendered by both. No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.” – James Madison, "Political Observations" (1795-04-20); also in Letters and Other Writings of James Madison (1865), Vol. IV, p. 491"

[chill_wind]

5. Extremely fitting.

[The Traveler]

6. I have not read the article ... but I already accept the conclusion

We DU folk are rude, inconsiderate, passionate to a fault, etc. etc. etc. but few of us are actually dim. Or blind. I wonder how many of our DU peers feel vindication when such articles appear? I know I do.

Vindication is not enough. Occupy Wall Street! Let the seeds planted in the American Autumn bring forth the American Spring.

It is time, friends, to take breaks from our keyboards and break for the front lines. See ya there.

Trav

[democrank]

7. K & R

[bobthedrummer]

9. I discussed my firmly held view that we have corporate fascism present with our new historic recall

victor, State Senator Jen Shilling before we voted her in. She also listened to my critique of her Party's Democratic Leadership Council (Clinton Doctrine)-amen.

Are you aware, StarsInHerHair, that with all these RW talkingpoints stressing "leadership" there was a 20th century totalitarian viewpoint about the "leadership principle" that gave birth to all these extremes promulgated and harvested by Tea Party zealots, fundamentalist racism wearing the robes of religion, the eugenicists in the American Medical Association, etc.

The term I refer (and link) to is der "fuhrer prinzip" (leadership principle)-something Gauleiter WALKER has in his dark heart here in battlezone Wisconsin.

Fuhrer prinzip testimony given by Herman Goering to the Nuremberg Tribunal
http://gooring.tripod.com/goo11.html

Thank you for starting this thread, StarsInHerHair!