We are teetering on the edge of fascism

[Cyrano]

Trump interference in Stone's sentencing.

Trump's impeachment being nullified by the Republican Party.

Trump declaring himself above the law.

Trump still occupying the White House.

For anyone who doesn't "get it'" yet, you never will and you are paving America's road to fascism. And you're succeeding.

Exactly who, but fools and fascists, will congratulate you upon your success?

[doc03]

1. The edge, no we are there! nt

[TDale313]

2. Was gonna say the same thing.

☹️

[triron]

12. Ditto.

[dixiegrrrrl]

18. You are correct, according to this:

The 14 Characteristics of Fascism, by Dr. Lawrence Britt, Political Scientist




The 14 characteristics are:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military
Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism
The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.

6. Controlled Mass Media
Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security
Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined
Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected
The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed
Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed .

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment
Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections
Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

[doc03]

21. Checked all 14 off, we are there nt

[lastlib]

25. I have tried educating MAGAts about Prof. Brit's list....

Basically, the response I get is "Buh-buh-buh-but SOSHULIZUM!!"

You can't fix stupid--you can only assault it with dimensional lumber........

[MerryBlooms]

36. rec.

[Thunderbeast]

3. If he gets a second term....

The free press will be the next to go.

[Cyrano]

5. Actually, American democracy will be gone

[FirstLight]

15. waiting for THAT shoe to drop...before the election IMO

it's off the deep end since the Acquittal... done ...

[handmade34]

4. I'm planning

my next move... nobody else seems to be doing anything

[Cyrano]

6. Leaving? Or staying and battling the maniacs?

[handmade34]

8. oh no

nobody is going to chase me out of our Country... I'm ready to fight

I'm thinking of a Granny D type action... I'm not the screaming and confrontation type... maybe a bus to get out and about... for now, it's postcards and letters to Representatives and protests when I can get to them, phone calls, money to candidates, etc...

I'm a caregiver so I'm limited but I continue to ponder acts that I can take... my partner is convinced it will take people dying in the streets to bring any change... I'm a bit more positive but it is urgent that something be done... I don't think we can wait until January 20th

[lunatica]

17. I'm writing postcards for a VOTE BY MAIL organization.

They use volunteers to hand write postcards to urge Democrats to register to vote by mail. Right now mine are going to cities in Florida. I feel good to be involved like this. I have limited mobility so it’s perfect for me. I guess I’ll write hundreds in the next few months.

[Squinch]

7. And we Democrats are throwing pies at each other.

[Wabbajack_]

11. What should we do?

Expecting the contest for a Presidential nomination to be a genteel affair is very naive.

[Efilroft Sul]

9. Fascism? You're soaking in it!

That's what ol' Madge would say.

[rzemanfl]

26. Great post. n/t

[Newest Reality]

10. Misery loves company!

Sorry for that trite phrase, but I don't try not to bring Fascism up much. It has become a buzz word that may have lost some potency or is sometimes misconstrued as a tool against an opposition you don't like.

Either you can see it happening or not. If you know the signs and definition, it is hard not to recognize it. We just have our own "brand" of it arising. You could call it by other names,(some fit under the term itself) but I think Fascism is what fits best, and we are over the line, but it is also just getting started.

What I mean is a certain momentum is there now and everything is in place. This is where it starts to go full steam. The only thing that can pull us back a little is Trump being gone for good, as in no second term. Otherwise, it will continue and worsen.

Trump is a dictator and that fits the bill. People think he may be pushing buttons for the libs, but when he makes references to more than two terms and decades, he means it. I would take that more seriously as far as his intentions are. He could then make the GOP a RULING party rather than allowing it to face its obsolescence and coming demographic irrelevance, which to me is why they are so complicit. Its not fear, its ruling the country with the Furor, vying for favored, sycophantic positions.

If that sounds paranoid or conspiratorial, well, I have seen too much to not at least err on the side of caution here, if so. Rather than taking it all as an political anomaly that can be easily rectified, I see it as the most tangible threat to democracy we have ever encountered. I have said that before and that's where I stand.

[Shaddox]

13. And my "population of morons" comment got me a ban. Hilarious.

[kentuck]

14. Indeed.

It is knocking on our door.

[world wide wally]

16. Trumpism is the new fascism

[VOX]

19. Hate to say it, but fascism's already here.

-24/7 non-stop propaganda from far-RW media
-Punishment of political opponents
-Attacking the free press
-Nationalism on a wide scale
-Demonization of anyone who hesitates or disagrees
-Rule of law now absent
-Greater power amassed in the executive branch
-Direct appeals for support from white nationalists and neo-nazi groups
-Threats of physical violence to opponents
-Demonization of “the other”
-Voter suppression
-Linkages to the world’s autocrats

I continue to be astonished and outraged by the blind, unwavering support this administration receives from its constituents. How is it that they perceive Trump as “great”? Some say the economy, but the sure bet is on “putting *those people* in their proper place.”

[Cyrano]

20. And we, the majority, do nothing but wait for a vote that's being rigged

[triron]

22. Along with the complicit media.

[VOX]

28. Sad to say, it seems that way. A Democratic victory will only happen with superhuman effort.

Russia will have its heavy thumb on the scale for Trump, anti-Democratic propaganda will be full-blast, and the Electoral College will produce the winner, regardless of the popular vote, just like 2000 and 2016. And as we saw in 2016, the Democratic ticket can receive literally millions more popular votes and yet come up short. With a bully pulpit, voter suppression, rampant disinformation via a dedicated “news” network and the damn Electoral College, Republicans are confident.

The key to a 2020 win will be in the usual swing states. This is where Trumpists will be concentrating their efforts: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin, and possibly Arizona. Trump’s been holding those goddamned rallies in these swing states states specifically. He will have corporate and big-money backing, entities that care only about profit by destruction of regulations.

Democrats must run a ticket that can carry most of the swing states, or else it’s another four years of Trump. It’s a bit worrisome at the moment, as no Democrat has yet emerged from the pack who looks like a strong winner. And regardless of who the Democratic candidate will be, there will be 24/7 messaging of “Socialism! Higher taxes! Free handouts for the “lazy” poor that YOU will pay for! Open borders letting in caravans of immigrants and terrorists!” etc. Just the usual crude, hateful, and fear-inducing horseflop, but with all stops pulled out.

It’s still possible for a Democratic victory, but it’s going to be an uphill battle. Unless Trump does something so egregious (what’s left, besides launching nukes?) that some supporters will turn away, but their cult-like devotion is a factor.

Sorry for the gloomy outlook, but the events since 2016 haven’t exactly inspired much confidence. Truth and facts are in short supply. Too many Americans seem comfortable with a big-mouth idiot-bully at the helm. It’s not just this country, either— there’s an anti-democracy wave sweeping the world: Brexit, many European countries, and even in Brazil.

Strange times all around.

[triron]

30. Agree it will be 'uphill' but not for reasons you put forth.

It will be uphill because it will be an extremely corrupt election (if there even is one).

[VOX]

34. That too.

I’m happy to be proven absolutely wrong on my admittedly gloomy outlook. The events of the last 3-plus years have further darkened my perception of that segment of the American people who willingly support a such clearly criminal, vengeful, emotionally disturbed autocrat.

There’s no getting around your point. It’s evident that the coming election will likely be anything but free and fair.

But if Democrats can generate Obama-like turnout numbers at the polls in key states, it would be possible to offset and surpass any rigging.

Remember in 2012, when Karl Rove (*barf*) refused to believe that Obama had won? It’s as if he was certain of a different outcome that didn’t materialize.
That’s exactly what we Democrats must do this year, whoever the candidate may be.

Here’s hoping we have an election, and that the foul play can be submerged by a blue tsunami.

[Blue_Tires]

23. "teetering"??

Link to tweet

[lame54]

39. Tweetering

[sarcasmo]

24. Fascism has arrived.

[onecaliberal]

27. That ship has sailed.

[Paladin]

29. Well, at least we put up a good fight against it.

[Mendocino]

31. We've fallen into the abyss,

just haven't hit the deepest depths.

[0rganism]

32. "teetering on the edge"? no, more like free falling at terminal velocity

gotta give about half of us credit for flapping our arms really hard, though

[Buckeyeblue]

33. I think Democrats should start using the word facism

It's the counter to being called a liberal or a socialist. But I think it's a great way to show the difference between the two parties. I would also say that Republicans politicians are in fear of common sense opposition to Trump.

And then come back to the issues:

Healthcare
Middle class jobs
Education
Environment

If Bernie gets the nomination it might be the biggest contrast in candidates since FDR beat Hoover. It will be important to talk about the country being at cross roads. Who do we want to be as a country?

Trump doesn't have the popularity of St. Ronnie or a national tragedy like W to use as leverage to get reelected. So I think he's in big trouble.

[Cosmocat]

40. This will s L O N G overdue

nm

[hunter]

35. When straight white males begin to feel the ill-effects of fascism, then it becomes real?

The U.S.A. has always had a nasty anti-intellectual fascist streak.

About a third of U.S. Americans are fucking Nazis.

Sure they fought along side us in World War II and we won, but that's only because they hated the Japanese and white people who didn't speak English.

Little has changed except as the Civil Rights movement silenced them.

Our task in this election is to stuff them back into the holes they slithered out of.

They are not going to have any sudden Revelations from God, they are not going to renounce their sinful ways and vote for a Democrat.

They simply have to be crushed in the elections. They have to be afraid to spew their vile bullshit in public, just as many were before they felt empowered by trump and our complicit electronic media.

[Stuart G]

37. We are in a dangerous place..

[roamer65]

38. We are teetering on the edge of the breakup of the United States.

[Hortensis]

42. :) Sure, but those were based mainly on study of

20th century fascist states, especially European, which were already strongly influenced by centuries of authoritarianism. Including long traditions of using the military to control the people.

I'm not sure "counting on the Russian military" is such a joke. A nice terrorist attack next October would be expected to cause millions of voters to look to a "strongman" for protection.

"Liberalism is the individual. Fascism is the state." Mussolini.