What do you think? How close to Fascism is America?

[SargeUNN]

I am just throwing this article out for thought and discussion. I believe we are certainly facing a strong fascist element that has loads of power, but I think we can still avoid the full blown level. I just don't know how close and fear we are closer than we want to believe. However, I am putting this out for discussion and not trying to sound the doom and gloom alarm. I am trying to say it is a serious issue. Here are excerpts and the link of the article:

Fascist America: Is This Election the Next Turn?
It's not fascism yet; but if the Tea Party manages to get its hands on the levers of power, it will be.
October 22, 2010 In August 2009, I wrote a piece titled Fascist America: Are We There Yet? that sparked much discussion on both the left and right ends of the blogosphere. In it, I argued that -- according to the best scholarship on how fascist regimes emerge -- America was on a path that was running much too close to the fail-safe point beyond which no previous democracy has ever been able to turn back from a full-on fascist state. I also noted that the then-emerging Tea Party had a lot of proto-fascist hallmarks, and that it had the potential to become a clear and present danger to the future of our democracy if it ever got enough traction to start winning elections in a big way.

On the first anniversary of that article, Jonah Goldberg -- the right's revisionist-in-chief on the subject of fascism -- actually used an entire National Review column to taunt me about what he characterized as a failure of prediction. Where's that fascist state you promised? he hooted.

rest of article:
http://www.alternet.org/story/148588/fascist_america:_is_this_election_the_next_turn/

[DJ13]

1. This election is a continuation of the corporate coup from 2000

If they succeed it will get really bad from here.

[Change has come]

6. They've already succeeded. (IMHO)

Even if every teabagger candidate loses, They have totally driven the framing and narrative with the help of the corporate media. When they do lose, it will be because of "voter fraud". Meanwhile, Wall Street and the banksters will be fine. No Matter What.

[Enthusiast]

15. I agree.

And 2004 was also part of it.

[madmax]

65. + another million. I felt it. n/t

[CanonRay]

27. + Million

You hit it right on the nose. This is where my election analysis begins and ends.

[SargeUNN]

2. anyone want to get specific on this?

I am really wanting to see your thoughts and ideas as to how close we are.

[oswaldactedalone]

3. It's here and been here

since 9-11 when the Thugs saw their chance to feed the military industrial complex and seize Iraqi oil.

[Change has come]

4. that was my thought too.

It's already here.

[Stardust]

5. Definitely.

[defendandprotect]

10. Yes ... 9/11 ... but right wing has had control of reins of power since '63.....

very powerful coup -- and any Dem opposition to it was met with powerful

response -- targeting of the members of Congress.

We basically have one rightwing party now -- and one radical right wing party.

But the POWER lies in violence -- there's no mistaking that -- same as Nazi Germany's rise!

And these are the remainders of the people who pushed to rearm Nazi Germany and put Hitler

in power --

Anyone doubt that Cheney could have been our next Hitler?


A large majority of the public understands 9/11 -- no question about that.

The more and more people come to the internet the greater that understanding will be.

That's why shutting down internet has to be a priority for right wing.



Only way the right wing can rise is via violence -- stolen elections -- lies.

Everything the right wing has and does is bought and paid for $$$$$$$$$ --

From Christian Coalition, Dobson, Bauer -- to T-baggers --

And in corporate-press, they have essentially bought permanent TV PR for themselves!!




.

[earth mom]

41. Yep, the rethugs own it all from Washinton DC to the Pentagon to the Media.

This country and it's people are so screwed it ain't funny.

And we ain't seen nothing yet!

:scared:

[moondust]

7. Citizens United ruling could be a turbocharger. n/t

[OlympicBrian]

12. Totally agree about CU, read this thread...

I wouldn't call it fascism though, it's more money-centered than dictatorial and revolves around the US Chamber of Commerce and globalization.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9411445

[Enthusiast]

16. No question. nt

[kath]

8. Thanks for the article, but JEEBUS, how the heck am I supposed to fall asleep after reading it and

the three-part article it refers to???

EEK. :scared: :scared: :scared:

VERY important article.

[defendandprotect]

9. It crossed our threshold long ago -- coup on JFK/people's government... Nixon....

Nixon -- and sadly I find even here at DU how the right wing propaganda re Watergate

takes hold of minds and people don't understand how dangerous Nixon was and destructive!


Ford -- lying to cover up JFK assassination

LBJ -- obviously involved in coup on JFK -- oil industry/Mafia --

allegedly he actually took envelopes of cash while in the White House --

and early on had his own murder team.

Carter -- a temporary oasis -- his presidency under constant attack -- and many strange

occurences during that time -- from Poppy Bush telling him he didn't have high enough

clearance to see files on UFO's -- which means they have a higher security than atomic weapons!

-- the "October Surprise" -- and of course his rescue missions going down.

We now know that Oliver North headed up those missions! Secord was second in command!

Reagan -- sometimes he seemed to be less confused and catching on ... that's when the

attempted assassination occurred -- and after that they say Poppy Bush was president.

Those who came to power with Reagan too often have deep connections to fascism - Nazi style.

Poppy Bush -- country seemed to catch on to him quickly -- and we succeeded in getting

rid of him -- but S&L and Iran-Contra -- all of the corruption and crimes which have weakened

America and government.

Clinton -- mixed bag there again -- trade agreements -- ended 60 years of Welfare guarantees...

which Gore encouraged him to do! Another alleged "screw up" of universal health care by a

Dem.

And W -- it's not really that shocking that we have dishonest men -- crime and corruption --

and these attempts -- what is shocking is that after 50+ years of out in the open right wing

political violence, stolen elections and lies that there is so little reaction to it by any

saner parts of government -- do they even exist any more?

But -- W couldn't have arrived in the White House without a great deal of cooperation by

corporate-press -- and right wing Supreme Court --

Wouldn't have happened without Clarence Thomas -- and sadly Biden helped put him in position

to get on the court.

[area51]

11. We're there.

Wasn't it Mussolini who said that fascism was more accurately called corporatism? Corporations have more rights than citizens. Why else do we not have a right to health care, and a democratic president and congress gave us away in slavery to the health care corps with the mandate?

"Any proposal that sticks with our current dependence on for-profit private insurers ... will not be sustainable. And the new law will not get us to universal coverage ...." -- T.R. Reid, The Healing of America

[Zoeisright]

21. Yup. The 2000 coup really cemented it in. And that disastrous Supreme Court

decision making money equal to free speech finished us off.

[BootinUp]

13. Needs another catalyst to push it over the edge

In other words, the crash of 2008 caused a lot of fear and instability, but it seems we will level out and reach some kind of new normal. This new normal may include more right wing authoritarian nutiness than we have currently. The question is how long will it last.

The American voter will likely push back against the right wing in the next election (2012), assuming there isn't another huge shock to the system. If things in the economic area take another big dip south, all bets are off.

[Warren DeMontague]

14. Fascism costs money.

The thing that will save us is, the right wing won't want to pay for it.

[Enthusiast]

17. Won't want to pay for it?

They started two war they didn't pay for. The RW could care less about deficits, they just find it a useful political tool.

[Fire1]

31. Corporate America HAS the money and WILL pay for it.

You can see the lust AND FUNDING for power and control RIGHT NOW on every channel and in every mail box, 24/7.

[SargeUNN]

18. I posted this late last night so thought I would revive

for those who didn't see it before it dropped to the back pages.

[deaniac21]

19. As far away as you can get.

[SargeUNN]

30. Please go into more detail

I would love to see your reasoning.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

20. 4 days?

[lunatica]

22. The lurch towards Authoritarianism is a strong conservative tendency and

if left to their own devices conservatives will inevitably lurch towards forms of government that are authoritarian. Democracy can only work if people are actively vigilant because Democracy doesn't happen by itself naturally.

[donco6]

23. I can still make it out in the rear-view mirror. N/t

[Javaman]

24. As of late, it's only one major election away.

since the rise of the mouth breather party and their corporate funded stooges,and since the supreme court halfwits now have allowed unlimited private funding, it can happen at any time.

We still will go through the charade of an election to try and give these half wits the appearance of "credibility". But with electronic voting, no vote is safe. You are better off pulling the arm on a slot machine. The house always wins.

once enough of these self serving massive ego jerks get in, we will be served up with smiley face fascism.

we are just about there. It will be interesting to see how the tea ball licking baggers will react when they finally realize that there "take back America" screed was nothing more than a smoke screen for the gigantic thumb pushing them further down.

We have the enemy right where he wants us.

[AlinPA]

25. It is happening now. The ignorance of many Americans is being used by all the

teabagger candidates inspired by Palin, Beck and that crowd. The ugliness, the hatred, xenophobia and stupidity by more and more Americans are the main ingredients of the fascism taking hold now.

Also:
The novel "It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair Lewis is so close to what is happening now that it boggles the mind. That piece of fiction is coming to real life now.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

26. I think we're already there. It feels like a more subtle form of fascism. But this is just the

beginning. As someone said above it started in 2000. Citizens United and the purchased election next Tuesday are just the natural continuation of it.

[AmandaRuth]

28. if it is true that American/multi national corps are sitting

on kibillions of cash just to punish the president and the democrats, we are much closer than anyone will admit.

[kath]

35. VERY good point.

:scared:

[TheKentuckian]

29. I'd say we're about up to our waist to the chest deep in it now.

Some won't acknowledge it till somewhere between the eyeballs and well above the head.

We've never been free of feudal variations at all and ankle deep took a lot out of their comfort zone so we've been diving back in for a generation or two, poked, prodded, and paid for by a select few for their ruinous prosperity like appetite becoming cancer or a black hole sucking up all that is in it's reach.

Our government systems are greatly compromised. The beltway is a propaganda mill and the corporate media drives those narratives from 24 to Anderson Cooper.

It's more sophisticated than past efforts and we still have our heads above it but it is here and kickin', my friend. The cool (to those that profit) is this one gets us to pay for the privilege and ask for nothing from the Fatherland in return.

Rugged individualism indeed.

Free market...Puhhhh-leeease.

and of course.......The Invisible Hand (aka official state secular religion).

Take a look at the wealth and income disparity, corporate influence and capture, poor distribution and application of justice, military investment and influence combined with disregard for veterans, and political shenanigans explain any substantive difference other than degree.

Don't call it a come back.

[Better Believe It]

32. Right now the capitalists don't need some form of fascism/dictatorship to maintain their rule.

They are doing very well without fascism.

Wall Street and big business have dramatically increased their direct power and control over the government with support from both major political parties and to heights only dreamed about 30 years ago.

So what mass movements are challenging their political and economic control now that have caused panic among their ranks?

The answer is none.

And they are not in a state of panic .... celebration perhaps .... but not fear and panic.

They don't fear a social/political revolution and therefore have no need to finance a mass movement in the streets to defeat by force a mass radicalization of working people and their allies.

If their political system isn't broke and continues to serves their interests, why "fix" it?

[blindpig]

39. Yeah

When we hit the streets like the French then we'll see what kind of fascists they got.

[leftstreet]

50. +1

[kath]

33. Kick - a must-read article

[krabigirl]

34. It's been fascist since 9/11.

[Better Believe It]

36. Really? And how is it possible for you to post here? Cry wolf now and people won't believe you

when the wolf is actually at the door.

You need to read some historic material on what fascism really is (a mass movement in the streets) and how such movements were able to obtain political power.

The term fascist shouldn't be used in such a flippant and irresponsible manner. It has real meaning and isn't simply a cuss word.

[SargeUNN]

37. first let me correct you some

READ the Original post. Secondly, do some research on your own and you will find that I have done research on this topic even doing several hours of it on my radio show. Thirdly the post is asking for opinions so you just showed you are not able to get beyond the ambushing listening stage to see that. If you have an opinion please post it because it would be great to hear but your wrong headed admonishment is not well recieved.

[Better Believe It]

40. Why are you responding on behalf of "krabigirl"?

I was responding to krabigirl's post, not yours.

Unless you're her legal counsel or designated spokesperson, I don't think she needs your "help".

Do you frequently respond to posts that are not directed to you or your comments?

Now please permit "krabigirl" to respond if she likes without any more interference.

OK?

Thank you.

[SargeUNN]

because

first I started this thread to get a discussion of what people thought and when they post their thoughts and get such an attack they are more likely not to share them.

As for your response to them let me remind you that rights don't disappear overnight but do so over a period of time so your reply to them was lacking in substance in itself.

Thirdly, I will reply where I chose and you can like it or not but that is how it works.

[Better Believe It]

51. That wasn't a personal attack on "krabigirl" But now you'll soon be on my ignore list if you

continue your uncivil diatribe and personal attack on me.

And don't even think about replying to other posts on my behalf.

I and other DU'ers don't need your "help".

We can stand on our own two feet.

Got it?

[SargeUNN]

55. wow

sorry you are so sensitive but if you want to ignore me that works for me since the only thing you will lose is any information you might get which sometimes I actually am able to give.

[bobbolink]

70. That's not "sensitive"..... that is a defensive attack from someone whose nerve was hit.

Sensitivity is a good thing.... it is about being able to walk in the shoes of the other.

Let's not denigrate a good thing, OK?

People still do not understand that fascism isn't just about authoritarianism, which is what that poster is confusing. That has nothing to do with being sensitive.

[WillyT]

78. LOL !!!

From the profile...

"Your comments, ideas, suggestions and criticisms are welcomed."

Apparently not.

:wow:

:shrug:

:hi:

[Bluenorthwest]

73. Incorrect. Fascism does not need a 'mass movement in the

streets' at all. The outward trappings are not the defining features. They do not have to march around nor do thuggery to be fascists. Boots, optional. Brooks Brothers will also do just fine.

[walldude]

38. We are in a near police state now...

May not look like it on the outside, but the Patriot Act has opened a lot of doors. Many of our rights are gone. You are tracked daily, every dime you spend that isn't cash, every grocery purchase you make on your little discount card, every website you visit, every phone call you make. Debit cards have made it really easy for the "man" to keep track of you. The Patriot act has made it so all any law enforcement agency has to do is claim "national security" and all your rights are gone. No lawyers, no judge, no trial no evidence.
My biggest beef with Obama besides Gay Rights is that goddamn order he signed allowing the CIA to kill an American on the word of the government that he is a "bad guy". That was one fucking door he should have nailed shut. If the Republicans get total power again with that in place shit could get really bad. They already are attacking people for nothing other than disagreeing with their positions. It's already open season on liberals, we don't need it to be legal.

[MellowDem]

42. Not at all...

I think comparisons of "fascism" and "communism" to American politics is fairly ignorant. The tea party ideology is very much an American phenomenon, which, if it gained power, would be different from fascism in quite a few ways. It is a unique political ideology best understood from its roots in the US. Of course, that doesn't mean it isn't a dangerous ideology, but bending over backward to try to fit a square peg in a circle hole doesn't do us any good.

[kath]

63. Did you actually read the article linked to in the OP, and the earlier three-part article that it

references? Or "The Anatomy of Fascism" by Paxton, which those articles draw from??

[MellowDem]

64. I read the article...

and it seemed pretty poor. All of the comparisons were very broad and could be attributed to most authoritarian regimes, based on whatever ideology. Also, this illogical fear of fascism on the rise just seems to match the irrational fear of communism that the tea partiers claim. Germany had never really had a history of a democracy and was in much worse economic situation. In fact, I can't think of any well-rooted democratic societies off the top of my head that became fascist. In fact, I have a hard time imagining a fascist society re-emerging ever again, kind of like communism. Doesn't mean that new authoritarian hard line ideologies won't emerge. All authoritarian ideologies have a lot in common. Communism and Fascism had a lot in common in the countries they were implemented in in terms of authoritarionism.

[Occulus]

84. "It can't happen here"

The worst, and most dangerous, form of historical myopia.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

43. We are there now. N/T

[earth mom]

44. We all must stop the denial. Fascism is already here.

:yoiks:

[Better Believe It]

48. Really? How did you escape from the fascist concentration camp?

I want to know just in case I get taken away this evening.

Need some tips.

[earth mom]

52. If you don't agree that is YOUR problem not mine. nt

[Better Believe It]

54. I think you're just using the term very loosely to scare us .... or yourself.

I hope you read historic material on the subject so people who are familiar with that history will take you more seriously.

Would you like some credible links on the subject?

Just investigate it more on your own.

Take care and no need to hide or get paranoid.

[earth mom]

57. Go ahead and be ignorant and blind to the truth. Sounds like you need to educate yourself. nt

[Better Believe It]

59. With your vast knowledge of fascism perhaps you can explain how and why it

was able to obtain power in Germany under Hitler with a majority of Germans opposed to the Nazis?

I know the answer to that.

Would you say the failure to defeat Hitler's mass movement was mainly do to the German social democrats because of their unwillingness to build a united action front against the Nazis or do you think the German communist party was primarily responsible because their ultra-left and sectarian "social fascism" political line?

I believe it was a combination of both, but the German Communist Party officialdom was the primary obstacle to building a united mass movement that could have defeated Hitler's Nazis.

Do you even understand what I just wrote about and how it is relevant today?

[Codeine]

69. I never agree with Better Believe It, but I agree with him on this subject.

You'd better believe it! :hi:

[Better Believe It]

86. Keep that up and you'll have me believing in miracles!

:)

[bobbolink]

71. bwahahahaha,.... head in the sand from those who don't even understand what fascism is.

Step back a minute, and understand what nerve was hit.

[Posteritatis]

45. I just want to note that we're having this conversation with no fear of repurcussions. (nt)

[SargeUNN]

53. not sure that is totally true

as we learned in the last few days the chance of one of the violent extremist could be watching this site and with their tendency to going after those they disagree with, they could go after anyone who post here if they have the resources to get the information. Also things such as expressing your views on a board like this don't just disappear fast but through steps, so that is a statement that might not be evidence that fascism isn't here or coming. I wish it were but then it could be evidence it isn't in control enough. I just don't know, but certainly that doesn't dismiss the power of the possiblity.

[Posteritatis]

58. Nah, I'm pretty sure that's true

Nobody on this site is at risk of being dragged out of their bed at night by the government over their political views here. That's a little different from idiot fringe criminals, who have always been there and are indicative of their being idiot fringe criminals, not the government being fascist.

Anyone who thinks the US is currently in the grip of fascism needs to actually spend some time reading about what life under such states is like, and no, I don't mean that fourteen-point checklist.

[SargeUNN]

62. the question I have is this then

Your statement is pretty good to show that it hasn't become full blown (which I would agree is the case), but having spent time on fascism which includes having many discussions with a man who was a SS officer in WW2 and saw Hitler come into power, I would say certainly just because it has not reached that stage doesn't mean it can't have a strong status. Of course like anything that has a long enough history, hybrid elements may vary so it becomes harder to identify it. Fascism itself was started by Mussolini and Nazism was a hybrid of it. So what we are seeing in our nation might not conform to pure fascism but might be a new hybrid or not even related depending on what is considered to be the root defination of fascism. Again I point to the fact that things like fascism, communism, socialism or whatever it is doesn't have total control has to abide by a certain level of what is in place not to kill itself off and might even seem to embrace those things. Example of that was Hitler used religion and even claimed God had lead him to his place, but after he got control he turned on them.

[proteus_lives]

61. This post should be the end of thread.

:thumbsup:

[Codeine]

67. Exactly. People need to dial down the hysteria a few notches.

It's like reverse-Freeperland here lately.

[GSLevel9]

46. I don't see it... look at the definition of fascism.

This is more of a "libertarian/greed/fundy/corporatist" cabal.

[SargeUNN]

49. interesting

thanks that really opens up more questions. One thing your reply brings to my mind is can this be a hybrid of fascism or is it a whole new thing?

[Enthusiast]

79. Whatever you call it,

it is not what the founding fathers envisioned as a nation.

Jefferson warned of corporate interests gaining too much power clear back in the 18th century. It has come to pass. Just look how they have used the economic collapse to control the gullible. And make no mistake, this is a massive coordinated effort. The influence of money can now achieve anything in this society.

[Greyhound]

47. We've been here for a long time.

Of course there are those that believe that as long as we don't have SS stationed on every corner with APCs patrolling through the suburbs, it isn't fascism, but they are comfortably insulated and prefer to ignore the plight of their fellows.

But we do have complete control of government by large business and 'our' leaders have convinced too many that this is not only not fascism, but is good for us.
:kick: & R

[Better Believe It]

56. When has Wall Street and big business not run the economy and been the major influence in gov't?

Since their victory in the Civil War which firmly established their national control, that is.

[OlympicBrian]

83. It's a matter of critical mass and confluence of forces transforming the government...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9410816&mesg_id=9419253

[txaslftist]

60. We are there.

Been there for about 6 years.

[Tesha]

66. Fascism arrived on December 12th, 2000 when our votes were...

...openly and blatantly discarded in favor of Republican political
appointees directly selecting a Republican as the next President
of the United States. It all ended that day.

Tesha

[fascisthunter]

68. we are already there

right now our government is working for the wealthy corporate class.... it's why this country is in the mess that it is.

[madmax]

72. Hey Sarge

If the shit hits the fan and Corporations and Elected official start going off the rails how do you think our military would respond. I'm not at all familiar with Military matters. Military coups happen in places like Argentina, not here.

[SargeUNN]

76. Honestly I don't know

[BlueIris]

74. Um, it's not necessary to ask whether fascism *could* come back.

It's already here and has been for some time. The question is whether or not we will ever be free of it.

[madmax]

77. That is the question. n/t

[felix_numinous]

75. The fact that American citizens have lost the

ability to confront corporate crime in any way is a sign of fascism.

We will hold demonstrations this weekend and vote Tuesday, which will feel good, but we need to have a focused strategy to confront the corporations as a nation. They are undermining the foundation on which every other aspect of our society is built. It is apparent that the problem of corporate takeover is not being addressed by our representatives to any significant degree, so what are we left with to do?

France held a strike, and I think that at some point we will have to put a wrench in the corporate wheel to stop it from turning. I think most people cringe at the thought of a confrontation, but it has to happen at some point. I have wondered if it has to be an international effort, since the corporations are international. The US has to unify behind this issue, it is not partisan.

This is a problem that is obviously beyond the scope of the executive branch, and elected officials, to speak out about it is political suicide.

I post about this so often I feel I am a broken record...have a great weekend :)

[grahamhgreen]

80. We are well into it.

[OlympicBrian]

81. PLEASE READ, it's not technically a fascist state, but here's what it is IMO...

(This is my original analysis from a previous thread. This could very well be the description of a modern-day fascist state.)

Representation of the Often-Untaxed Elite - The US Corporatocracy
By Dan S., Seattle 10/29/10

"US corporatocracy" - the system of government that serves the interests of, and is essentially run by, corporations. It primarily seeks to further ties between government and business--where corporations, multi-national corporations, conglomerates, and private parties including political organizations and highly-paid corporate executives are the primary controls--and are the elite. Areas of control rely on direction and governance often tied to contrived (sometimes fearsome) mass-media visages of elements, ideas, and persons within the country. Within the corporatocracy, objective news reporting is hard to find.

The system depends on highly-paid "pundits" for dissemination of major themes. There is a revolving door between the components of the corporatocracy, including those formally in government. The system retains the superficial appearance of being a democratic republic, by relying on long-standing faith in the democratic voting, legislative, judicial, and executive processes--but below the surface, it is a system of government without true representation of the people. Make no mistake, it's government serving corporations and money for the elite. Big money.

Major activities of the corporatocracy include carrying out economic planning notwithstanding the "free market" label. Because the major interests served in the system are corporate-related, the general welfare of the nation suffers--the benefits of productivity do not proliferate. Compensation as a share of national income falls. Taxes "invert," placing a greater burden on everyone but the rich and the ultra-rich. Some ultra-rich individuals and corporations pay little or no taxes at all; yet ironically, it is this elite group which is the most highly represented in the corporatocracy.

As a result of the massive disparity in distribution of wealth within the consumer-driven economy, demand necessarily relies on easy credit, and/or economic boom/bust cycles. The US Federal Reserve is intimately involved in creating these cycles, but in doing so, has recently run up against a fundamental math barrier (near-zero interest rates). The US Treasury is used as a source of income for the elite, through a series of complex transactions and events which obfuscate where the money is going--but ultimately leave the taxpayer and our children bearing the cost.

The corporatocracy relies on communist China (and other foreign) underpinnings for sources of cheap production, labor, and credit. The system ensnares the US judicial branch within its overall goals. In fact, the judicial system enhances the finances of the system and protects the corporatocracy as if it had the same--if not more--rights than the individual (via the Citizens United decision); it does so against the will of 80 percent of the people. "Unlimited, anonymous funds" allowable through corporate donations to political organizations result in a huge "multiplier effect" on political speech, given the nature of high-tech, mass-media, and broadcasting--a fact not accounted for in the Citizens United decision. The system also relies on communist Chinese (and other foreign) financial influences, channeled anonymously through political organizations. The corporatocracy distorts basic sciences such as economics; the system even presents production of other nations as its own.

Moreover, at the nucleus of the corporatocracy is a non-elected body, the US Chamber of Commerce. This powerful group, known mainly for its political attack ads, is extremely well-financed through mostly anonymous, sometimes foreign entities. It acts as a major focal point for corporations, with a distinct emphasis on the biggest. The Chamber is growing, becoming increasingly dominant in the corporate, media, political, election, legislative, and judicial spheres. It prefers foreign interests over US citizens, carrying an agenda aimed at offshoring US jobs--and tax breaks to corporations which do so. The Chamber also recently kicked off a campaign to change a law which prevents foreign corrupt practices.

Not surprisingly, in the corporatocracy, unemployment is high even during boom periods where corporate profits are rich and the stock market is high, because of a reliance on offshoring and offshore investment. The corporations always seek out what's known in economic terms as "absolute advantage," which in lay terms means "utter selfishness and disregard for the rest of the US." The US tax base is eroded as a consequence, and the federal deficit climbs quickly. Congress acts in lockstep with the Chamber...the President has limited powers...and the judicial branch has been swayed to serve the Chamber. So the Chamber has a lock-down on the three branches of government. In summary, the big money, influence, and decisions flow through the Chamber and its biggest corporate constituents--the three branches of US government are merely tools.

Through the Chambers comprehensive approach, the corporatocracy achieves an unprecedented fusion of formerly separate powers not only nationally, but on a world-wide basis--against the fundamental principles of separation of powers upon which America was founded. As scary as this reality is, the Chamber goes much further--not only does the Chamber create attack ads up until elections, but it also spends huge (and now anonymous and unlimited) money after elections. This money goes toward spoon-feeding the text of self-benefiting US laws, through the Chambers lobbying activities. And here, not only is it the biggest influence in the world by far, but foreigners can contribute and influence laws without disclosure. Congress--while elected--is handed many of the critical details of US laws by the non-elected Chamber. Make no mistake, it's government serving corporations and money for the elite. Big money.

http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/top.php?indexType=s

"The selfish spirit of commerce knows no country, and feels no passion or principle but that of gain."

- Thomas Jefferson to Larkin Smith, 1809.

"I hope we shall... crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and to bid defiance to the laws of our country."

- Thomas Jefferson to George Logan, 1816.

"Economic theory assumes that capitalists pursuing their individual interests are led to benefit the general welfare of their society by an indivisible hand. But offshoring, or the pursuit of absolute advantage, breaks the connection between the profit motive and the general welfare. The beneficiaries of offshoring are the corporations' shareholders and top executives and the foreign country, the GDP of which rises when its labor is substituted for the corporations' home labor. Every time a corporation offshores its production, it converts domestic GDP into imports. The home economy loses GDP to the foreign country that gains it."

- Paul Craig Roberts

[OlympicBrian]

82. Scary, WSJ squelching the truth about offshoring and globalism...

America’s job losses are permanent
By Paul Craig Roberts
Online Journal Contributing Writer

Oct 29, 2010, 00:22

Now that a few Democrats and the remnants of the AFL-CIO are waking up to the destructive impact of jobs offshoring on the US economy and millions of American lives, globalism’s advocates have resurrected Dartmouth economist Matthew Slaughter’s discredited finding of several years ago that jobs offshoring by US corporations increases employment and wages in the US.

At the time I exposed Slaughter’s mistakes, but economists dependent on corporate largess understood that it was more profitable to drink Slaughter’s Kool-Aid than to tell the truth. Recently the US Chamber of Commerce rolled out Slaughter’s false argument as a weapon against House Democrats Sandy Levin and Tim Ryan, and the Wall Street Journal had Bill Clinton’s Defense Secretary, William S. Cohen, regurgitate Slaughter’s claim on its op-ed page on October 12.

I sent a letter to the Wall Street Journal, but the editors were not interested in what a former associate editor and columnist for the paper and President Reagan’s Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy had to say. The facade of lies has to be maintained at all costs. There can be no questioning that globalism is good for us.

...

Detroit is trying to shrink itself by 40 square miles. On October 24, 60 Minutes had a program on unemployment in Silicon Valley, where formerly high-earning professionals have been out of work for two years and today cannot even find part-time $9 an hour jobs at Target

...

http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_6511.shtml

[Major Hogwash]

85. Their motto should have been -- It's not your grandfather's fascism!

Because this time, it came with a corporate logo, complete with a branding theme of "National Security"!!

The term "U.S." used to stand for the United States.
But, they have spelled it out for the people of this nation rather plainly lately - they are talking about them, not the rest of us.
It's "US", with no initials, and if you're not a part of "US", well, you just don't count, pardner.

I don't want to offend grandfathers out there, but the way I look at it -- we may not have had to deal with Mussolini, but we had to deal with Bush for 8 years -- so that was pretty darn close.

I've learned to love the Patriot Act. It wasn't easy as first. I didn't like the idea of being watched all of the time. Too many security cameras for me to handle.
But, hell, I even bought a flag back in 2006.
Even saved the receipt to use later in court.

Now I wrap myself in it every time I watch tv, post on the forum, shovel the walk, or answer the phone.
I'm self-centered enough to believe that I know I can't fart without Agent Mike having to smell it these days.
Not because I'm important or anything like that. Naw, rather it's just a matter of being available. This wouldn't happen if I were in Canada.
So, I'm eating a ton of beans these days just to be as obnoxious as I can.
Maybe he's not right behind me 24/7, but I'm not taking any chances in the meantime.
What can I say, I'm not perfect, my shit stinks.

But, there's a bright side to life, I haven't found a GPS monitor on my car yet, knock on wood.
I have learned to tone down the commentary I make online now, realizing that they have a dossier on pretty much everyone who has ever used the internet.
I'm not talking about the mods either.
Yet, I sort of wish I wouldn't have googled all of those pictures of Terri Hatcher back in 2001 now. I know they'll use that against me later to break me down because I like hot chicks. I was young, crazy, petulant, and had a devil-may-care attitude back then. Since then I've learned that someday I'll die. And they'll probably write a training manual in one of the federal alphabet agencies on how best to keep someone like me pre-occupied answering online polls about who is the hottest chick on tv.
I hate it that they cancelled Superman.

Waterboarding is not so bad, as long as I'm dry on the beach and not on the board. After watching Bush ignore the victims of Hurricane Katrina for so long, I realize just how powerful all that water can be. Hell, they didn't need bombs, they just let them drown in their own homes.
I figure waterboarding will gain more acceptance and it will be an Olympic sport by 2016, just about the same time we announce that we forgive all of the other countries that have committed crimes against humanity.
Mostly because we used rendition to send a lot of other people from other countries to their country to have them waterboarded to begin with.
"You have to drown the village to save the village" type thinking.

All of that was done in the name of safety. Actually, they called it "National Security".
Which reminds me vaguely of the safety dance, and that sort of scares me.
Everyone always talks about the Founding Fathers, and you have to know that Ben Franklin would have been against that kind of thing. At least out in the open like that. He probably danced around in frilly frocks in France, but it was always behind doors, in order to be discreet.

Manners counted back then, unlike now when Senators get caught going to "bad girls" in order to wear diapers so they can shit in them, and have some kind of emotional retrograde regression back to childhood. By the way, that pervert is ahead by 17 points in his reelection campaign, and they have to refer to that scumbag as "Mr. Senator" when he is on the Senate floor. I'm sure that Franklin didn't envision that kind of slimebag serving in the Senate.

But then, since corporations are considered people now, even I want to get married to one these days.
Someone cute, and not too old, someone big enough to look out for my needs.
Not a small LLC, or just any old Inc., but someone with a history of crushing their competition with illegal pricing schemes and secret market rebates, someone like IBM.
I have to admit that I've always had a secret crush on Big Blue.
And my initials are kind of close to theirs, so they wouldn't have to change any monogrammed towels they have hanging around in the executive wash rooms.

I've given up on the idea of ever retiring.
What the hell, might as well work my way into the grave. After all, my dad and his dad and his dad did. Gotta keep up the family tradition.
I'm looking forward to getting my personalized, privatized social security checks, which they will be when the GOP guts social security. And you know they want to. They have always wanted to. It's like the Arc of the Covenant for the Republican party, they dream of the day they get their hands on social security. Even their greatest fake leader, Ronnie Reagan was against social security - that is until 1980 and he found out it was kind of popular.
But, those invisible, digitized, direct deposit checks will probably bounce by that time anyway.

Just like my last employer's paychecks did, just before he locked all of the doors to the shop and moved South. At least that's what I heard where he went. Probably got a bigger tax break by moving out in the middle of the night like that, too.

Not that I can complain. Being a part of a bigger family of unemployed, hungry people has its advantages, too.
Like I don't watch much tv now that 4 other people that live here want to watch sports constantly. I had never even heard of Austrailian football, so I'm expanding my sports knowledge in the meantime. And I found out that I'm sometimes smarter than an 8th grader, but I can't ever beat the wheel in the last round like some of the contestants can.

And going back to church has been good for me. I found out that I was sinning quite a bit or I wouldn't have deserved to be where I'm at today.
So, that was good to learn.
Have to take responsibility for my actions.
I should have known that the 4 biggest contractors in the state would go bankrupt when I decided to get into construction years ago.
I also should have been able to forecast that the banks would cut them off just about the time they needed an extension of their credit, even though the Fed rate between banking loans was at zero.
Well, it's not those companies' fault really, they could have located in a different state.
Which I think they wound up doing anyway.

Heck, I don't need dentures anyway, I have "tough gums".
Like the Governor said the other day, "Let them gum their food"
Just after he cut 100 dentists from the state's medicaid and medicare plan.
Oh well.
My great-grandfather didn't need dentures back in 1890, so why should I worry if my teeth fall out.
Just because it's 2010 doesn't mean I should be allowed to go to a dentist that uses medicaid.
Shit, what was I thinking anyway?
"Things are tough all over."
That's what grandpa used to say.
Grandpa was right when he said the Great Depression ruined a lot of men.

It's going to happen again.

I wonder if those men who fought so hard on D-Day would have bothered if they could see what we have come to.

I think my dad would have just said "fuck it" and he wouldn't have reported in when he was drafted if he knew the Supreme Court would one day choose the President of the United States.
That's not how he was raised.
Me either.
I don't remember reading that kind of shit back in school anyways.

I knew that Nixon was bad.
And I figured that Reagan was pretty bad too.
But, I also figured that we could fix up whatever Reagan managed to fuck up.
I felt the same way about Bush senior, that whatever he did bad, I mean really bad, just as long as he didn't use the bomb, we could survive that dumb asshole and repair all of the damage he would do, and did.

But, shit, after Bush junior, I don't think it will be fixed for 20 years.
I don't see any way out of breaking the logjam the Republicans have created in the Senate these days.
There are over 400 bills that were already passed by the House, just sitting in the Senate, waiting to be acted on.

So, I think that unless Senator Reid uses the so-called "nuclear option" in the Senate, and suspends the 60 vote minimum requirement for debate to begin on those bills to break up that logjam, we are going to slowly sink in a large pool of quicksand.
The majority of us anyway.

The corporations will expand in the meantime, and they will flat out buy the White House in 2012, by flooding the election with more corporate unaccounted money than we ever thought was ever possible before.

Makes me want to stand up and say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Only problem is, I don't know who I'd be pledging my allegiance to if I did, to my country or to some CEO.