Is Our Government Any Different from a Fascist Government Now?
By Thom Hartmann A...
I think that we need to start using language that actually reflects reality. The definition of fascism, as Benito Mussolini invented the word, comes from the Latin word fasces which was the old symbol of the Roman Empire.
Our Congress has it engraved at the speaker's podium. A fasces is a bundle of sticks with a rope around it, with a little axe stuck in the top and this was the symbol of the Roman Empire.
And the idea was that individual sticks can easily be broken, but if you bundle them together and tie a rope around them, you can't break it. You can't even destroy it with an axe.
So Mussolini defined fascism as the merger of corporate and state interests.
And in Italy in the 1930s he dissolved the Parliament that had been elected by the people and replaced it with a parliament where each Italian equivalent of a congressional district, instead of sending an elected representative to serve in the Italian parliament, the largest corporation in that district sent a representative to serve in Parliament.
And the name of the Parliament was changed during Mussolini's rule to the Camera dei Fasci e delle Corporazioni - the chamber of fascist corporations.
How is what's going on right now any different from that?
I mean, it's not quite as blatant, it's not quite as obvious, it's not quite as honest, but as Toly Rinberg and Andrew Bergman report in the New York Times in an article titled Censoring Climate Change...
" If you searched Google for the words "climate change" a little over six months ago, one of the first hits would have been the Environmental Protection Agency's website. But that was before April 28, when the agency began systematically dismantling its climate change website."
Now, why would they do this?
Well, because some of the biggest funders of the Republican Party are the Koch brothers. Koch Industries is a fossil fuel company, largely. The Koch brothers' daddy made all his money in Russia teaching Joe Stalin how to drill for oil. He came back to the United States, expanded that fortune with refineries down in Texas and pipelines. They own a good chunk of the Canadian tar sands, etc., etc. They are fossil fuel billionaires and one of their many political arms is called Americans for Prosperity. As the New York Times article says...
"If you search those words today, a link to the E.P.A. site may not appear until the second or third search results page, and sometimes not even then... The site has fallen in Google's search results because its address, or URL, no longer directs you to the climate change site or a related page.
If you click that link, you'll be redirected to a notice page that says, "We are currently updating our website to reflect E.P.A.'s priorities under the leadership" of President Trump and Scott Pruitt...
A significant number of pages and PDFs are not available, and entire portions of the site, like the Student's Guide to Global Climate Change, have been left out...
And now-broken links that previously led to the E.P.A. climate change pages are scattered across federal and nonfederal websites."
[There have been] changes to tens of thousands of web pages... It is clear that the administration is intent on making it difficult or impossible to find information on its web pages about climate change.
The authors write...
"Of all the government websites we've been monitoring, the E.P.A.'s has been hit hardest."
I would say by this fascist administration, an administration that is entirely dancing to the tune of billionaires and the industries that made them rich.
Find anything this administration is doing that isn't principally being done for the benefit of billionaires and the corporations that made them rich. I can't think of anything. Back to the article...
"Terms like "greenhouse gases," "carbon" and "climate change" have been replaced by vague descriptors like "sustainability" and "emissions." In addition, web resources about specific regulations have disappeared."
Talk about censoring the internet!
"The agency also removed its website for "Climate and Energy Resources for State, Local and Tribal Governments" and replaced it with one called "Energy Resources for State, Local and Tribal Governments," eliminating over 200 web pages, including almost all of those pertaining to climate change"...
The State Department removed reports containing required emissions projections under international treaty.
The Interior Department removed descriptions of its priorities for tackling climate change...
Links to websites hosting climate data were removed from the main Department of Energy climate change web page."
This is a horror show, and the other thing about fascism is it's all about rich people.
So you've got Senator Rob Portman, the Republican from Ohio, lying at a tax reform event hosted by the Koch-funded PAC Americans for Prosperity - gee, what a surprise!
"Portman was asked by a constituent whether the tax bill could impact his Medicare benefits."
Here's what Senator Rob Portman said: "no, it's a tax reform bill". Well, actually, it is going to impact all of our Medicare benefits and more. There's this thing called PAYGO. The Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 reinstated pay-as-you-go budgeting rules used in Congress starting under George H W Bush in 1990.
Is our government any different from a fascist government now?
Comments
#2
Can not really understand how the rich will be okay when all consumers are gone
And / or we are all destitute or dead
They might be rich but they seem to be stupid... very!
#3
Thom;
I know that you adhore any form of violence but you brought up Mussolini. Please note it took a world war to get him out of power. Currently in the USA things are changing very fast away from a form of Government that serves the people. The American people need to recognize that we as citizens need to act to stop this attempted take over of the US Government.
I am not advocating WAR but I will make this point. What happens here will have effects on the whole world. If it is allowed to continue on the current course pushed by Trump, Russia, GOP it will be a disaster for people(not rich) but average people of the world.
If we Americans do nothing then How long will the world allow this drastic change continue without interceeding? That is the real question here folks. Mussolini and his cronies thought the world would do nothing, so does the current pact of 3. Mussolini was wrong and so are the fascists pushing things now.
Just how much carnage is caused is up to us Americans and what we do or chose not to do.
#4
#1 - You are right!
Where a leader will arise to get the country out of the malaise is awaited
None on the horizon I see!
#5
#3 - Leader required now!
#6
This type of government activity is what Mr. Trump's bombastic and erratic behavior covers up with the media attention he gets. These changes will influence not just our lives for future years but our children and grandchildren as well. In regard to the bombast and show he is not very different as Mussolini as Thom Hartman has suggested.
#7
I believe the "crap" is fixin' to hit the fan. I just hope when Mueller comes out with his charges, he has all law enforcement necessary to relieve the "Administration" of it's duties and get them the "hell out of our house!" That's when the 30% will go crazy and start shooting any progressivives they know. They are brainwashed, think God is on their side, and insane. Anyone who drives around with Rebel battle flags secured in the Gooseneck 5th wheel hole on their 20 year old pickup truck supporting a Wall Street millionare is certifiable! It will be anarchy! I agree that violence has no place but; I have been developing quite a defensive cache and posture if it does come to that! I would recommend others to do such. They are well armed and just wanting to have an excuse.
#8
how is fascism different from our current government? it isn’t, and where the republicans are concerned, every republican administration since eisenhower’s has been fascist.
#9
# 8
You are correct but it's not "full blown Fascism".... (Yet). And note though; all republican presidents have used Treason to get elected since Eisenhour. "Full Blown" means what they are attempting now. Takeover of the free press, silencing people and most probably removing people..... Not much said about the 80 +- year old Smith guy who "committed suicide"..... He had much information on this collusion and treason. Yes; we are in the middle of a coup. Phsychological coup for now but I suppose we will see. It all, and I mean ALL, rests on Mueller and how they will relieve this bunch of their duties......It's not time to appease anymore!
#10
I agree with Oldskoold, however I would add that the Fascists have been behind the scenes/discreetly full blown for years.....the recent difference, they now have their Kochpublican servants in the majority of all three branches of government. Thus they're on an hasty and piggish overreach march, not unlike Hitler's manic strategy in 1939, however the Koch onslaught is economic, not a land grab....the same mental illness though.
#11
A Responsible Science Organization should produce a better website for CLIMATE CHANGE and promote it or post it on Facebook.
#12
Our Government is not Democatic if Corruption Rules.
#13
This last year has exposed the severe contrast between the two major political parties. The Dems are polite, meek, and mild, even when in power. Christ, they wouldn't even fight for single-payer when they had the majority. Look how easily Chuck Todd just walked all over Pelosi on Sunday, Bernie wouldn't have let that happen, which is why they won't allow him on.
On the other hand, Kochpublican's are always relentless with lies and deceit, they'll stop at nothing to gain power and foment their agenda. Look how McConnell held up the Supreme Court pick...with so much at stake, he knew the Fascists would fix the election. Take note of Trump's cabinet and judicial picks...talk about an attack on the will of the people with extreme agenda. The Kochpublican Party is using bump stocks while the Democratic Party is still showing up with quiet and polite words....look where that has ffnnn got us...
Look how easily Crooked Donny got a pass on the child rape and numerous sexual assault charges, and the corpse media focus on Dems being accused...look how successful the distraction is while the tax bill flys under the radar from the citzens who will be hit the hardest.
BTW: Putin still has the PP tape, yes it's real...!!!!! He owns Trump's sorry ass with far more than just this tape, and thus sadly Putin indirectly controls our executive branch. I hope our CIA is proud of this.
The Koch's party is about to reverse more than a half a century of environmental, economic, and social gains in just a matter of months. I have no idea why Thom refused to use the word Fascism much until now....sure Oligarchy fits, but again, why not just come right out and call it what it is?
I've tried hard to sound the Fascist alarm for years on this blog. Mark my word, this is going to end very very ugly. The election should never have been declared valid.
Many of the Fascist billionaires currently manipulating the Kochpublican servants are every bit as insane as Trump.....isn't it obvious?... just look at what they want from the Kochpublican party...same things as Trump.
I'm sorry, for old men like the Kochs to not understand the ramifications of what they've been doing, and are about to do, is insanity! Welcome to hell!
#14
It's one thing to be a conservative or a liberal. It's another to go to the extreme right or left. Isn't there some sort of middle where our nation chooses ways to make life better for all?
#15
FASCISM may well be the perfect definition, but QUICKSAND is the perfect analogy… and the American people stepped right into the quagmire with the pseudo election of Donald Trump...and every day we sink more and more into a trap that becomes more and more impossible to pull ourselves out of.
Even though these despicable shit-heads on the Right can't get a thing through congress, they have been busy loading up the courts with lying, greedy, incompetents or religious fanatic nut-bags to enforce their power grab, while Trump with juvenile arrogant vindictiveness, goes about his mission to undo every action that Obama took to make the planet more livable. Even as the planet is already on life support and all systems are blinking red…soon to be to the point of no return…if that hasn't already happened.
Again, we hear this plea to meet in the middle, ignoring the fact that the Right has for the last thirty or so years moved their goal posts further and further out into never-never land completely devoid of any sanity.
Again, we have this garbage that the Left is extreme, even though the policies of the Left, when polled on their on, are very popular with the majority of US citizens and are often derived from scientific observations, and common sense for that matter, and are genuinely moderate compared to the extreme failed retreads of the Right.
But of course the Right is busy with their think-tanks and media machines trying to make voters believe up is down and black is white, grinding out delusional bullshit to keep their cult following in tow while they sell them their faith based fantasies, all the while stealing everything they can, while billing your children for their criminal behavior.
What part of child molesting are we supposed to compromise on? Apparently it's alright with the Right if it can get them tax cuts for the rich.
How many millions should a compromise throw off healthcare that is certain to result in many deaths?
How many mega storms do we have to have? How much destruction does Climate Change have to cause? How many people do these storms have to kill? How much misery are we expected to bear before the Right comes to their senses. Apparently shock-treatment is having no effect!
What kind of political dirty tricks do we compromise on to win elections? Is it OK to purge voter rolls with bigoted gimmicks like "Operation Crosscheck?" The time for compromise and meeting in the middle has long past.
Obama tried to reach out to Republicans and they shook his hand while slapping a "Kick Me" sign on his ass and proceded to kick it every chance they got. You cannot compromise with insanity if you expect to have realistic results. Each compromise just takes you deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole.
#16
Thank you Irja Orav as you are the only one so far that understands what has to be done to move forward.
To the others, and a couple of other overly crazies here who sit in their bunkers on the dark web and plan on defending themselves by throwing their pink pussy hats at the brownshirts marching through their neighborhoods, weren't those the exact same tactics you accused the Obama haters of doing? Brilliant plan.
Keep up your Nazi shit Thom as you have pointed out in the past, it only makes you look smaller as you lose the argument.
Thank you fools who continue to provide me with a daily Christmas gift.
#17
Merry Christmas Dianereynolds. First you got a child molesting rapist for president, now you're getting a child molesting rapist for the senate. Birds of a feather flock together.
#18
Pigeons being a prime example.
#19
DianeR -- Where did you see Thom mention the word Nazi in this rant? I mentioned it previously, when I should have used Mussolini. Adolph as an example for comparison to tRump is so compelling because of his seductive qualities of lying to the masses.
#20
Irja O -- Who do you think is on the extreme left? Thom has pointed out there are only 200 to 300 communists in the U.S.
What policies would you describe as on the far left? In my mind the extreme left would be the view that any economic stratification is bad. Also the extreme left would think that entrepreneurship is fraught with peril.
#21
chuckle8, Trying to talk to these trolls is like trying to talk to the walls, but at least walls serve a purpose. Trolls on the other hand are like toxic germs that seek to destroy every living thing. The've now mutated into child molesters.
#22
Congressional Willingness to MASSIVELY KILL Americans!
The alleged anti-Muslim atrocities re-tweeted to by Donald Trump PALE IN COMPARISON to the hundreds of thousands of American men, women, children, babies, and fetuses that our Republicans in Congress are presently attempting to LITERALLY KILL (by denying them healthcare in their “tax reform” proposal) in order to please their MALICIOUSLY GREEDY corporate and billionaire sponsors!
Feel free to publish this or to use these points in your own articles
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By definition, we've had a Fascist Government for at least since Reagan, but it's shifted back and forth until voter suppression, Gerrymandering, and Russian manipulation of the weak minded finally sealed the deal. Only a citizen revolution will restore democracy and the former Republic. We've only got one shot at this and time is running out. The 2018 election will tell the tale. Mueller is a last hope. tRump is a wannabe Fascist dictator and well into making his Fascist regime permanent. Thank you, Thom, for paying attention!