Reply #10: yep, I mean Amerika as a fascist militaristic state...

[mike_c]

...which is probably precisely what you thought I meant.

From the fourteen defining characteristics of fascism:

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Fascism/14_Characteristics_Fascism.html (parenthetic comments are mine)

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.

(Seen many of those yellow magnetic ribbons lately? Got one on your car? How about flag stickers, marquees that say things like "United we stand" or "Support our troops?")

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.

(Any of that ring a bell?)

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.

(This democratic "security plan" buys directly into #3-- it begins with the assumption that we must unify against EXTERNAL THREATS. It utterly ignores the fact that the source of those threats is our own foreign policy, generated INTERNALLY.)

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.

(Have you looked at the Pentagon's budget lately? Here's a hint: the U.S. spends more on it's military EVERY DAY than it spends for much of the year to insure the welfare of its citizens.)

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

(Yep, that's the biggie. Tell me again how dems differ from republikans in that respect?)