I am tired of seeing diaries routinely recommended where the United States is described as “fascist Corporate State” run by a secretive “Corporatist Cabal”. These are offensive to me as an American and a Democrat. The idea that America is “fascist” must seem outrageous to those who came to our shores to escape tyranny and build new lives for their families. It is a slap to the men and women who serve in uniform, since it implies they are risking their lives to defend an unjust government. It is an insult to those of us who work to elect Democrats, since it implies we are dupes of a conspiracy of plutocrats who, like the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion”, secretly manipulate every facet of society.
I lived in West Germany during the 1980’s and had the opportunity of spending time on the the other side of the Wall – in the Arbeiter-und-Bauern-Staat (Workers and Peasants State) of the “German Democratic Republic.” The regime of Erich Honecker also called West Germany and the United States “fascist corporate states” to divert attention from its own unjust, totalitarian system. Not many bought into the propaganda, since it was obvious that Western capitalism was superior to the dysfunctional and oppressive state-controlled economy.
Like most Americans, I am thankful that I live in a country where I can start, grow, work for, and invest in a business enterprise – even a “corporation”. Like most Americans, I reject the notion that America is a “fascist corporate state.”
and consummate rightwinger. Sorry not buying your supposed Dem cred. Where to begin!
Vast overreach by the conservative cabal aka SCOTUS has allowed with the Citizens United ruling our Corporate Reich to form a Reichocracy which now rules our nation, poisoning political discourse as well as the entire process. But you didn’t know that…did you?
Legislative decisions are sold to the highest bidder. ALEC crafts our laws. The Papal scandals & selling of indugences down through the ages pales in comparison.
I don’t know what planet you came from but down here our congressional politicians don’t budge w/o a steady stream of suitcases filled with cold hard cash. That cha-chinging isn’t the ringing in our ears it’s the ringing of the giant cash register in congress which never stops.
who has spent some time living outside the US. I lived overseas for a period of time, and it certainly gave me a new perspective to being from this country. It always has struck me how few Americans have passports and do not travel beyond the delivery radius of their favorite pizza parlor.
When fascism came, it was not brought by uniformed troops.
It was not imposed at the point of a gun.
Fascism came because citizens were too distracted to pay attention.
Voters were too misinformed to cast intelligent ballots.
And the mass of people failed to recognize the inherent danger in the censoring of speech and the banning of books.
If anything, that experience left me far more open to criticism of my own birthplace.
I did know expats who would climb-up on their high-horse whenever American conduct with regard to Viet Nam entered the conversation, reminding their German hosts that the U.S. is “the greatest country on earth” and above criticism.
But witnessing East German oppression did not automatically exonerate the U.S., in my mind, of all of its own history of injustice and colonialism.
It did make me love the U.S. even more ardently, warts and all. That’s why I will never give up on the opportunities for “self-improvement.”
While I would never use the term “fascistic” to describe America’s bad behaviors on the world stage, I can certainly see why some would feel justified in doing so. It can’t be denied that an element of over-the-top nationalism has driven many of our more spectacularly ugly moments; and as the nation becomes more dramatically divided politically and culturally, there have been political positions taken by regional actors that can only be described as fascistic.
Personally, I am at a point where I find the robotic insistence of right-wing politicians that the U.S. is the greatest country on earth and has the Supreme Being’s seal of approval, coupled with the Citizen’s United decision enshrining money as the measure of free speech, as pretty good evidence that fascism has more than a modest toehold here.
Remember, populations choose to enable fascist regimes because they make them feel good about themselves.
recognize that “fascist” is used somewhat as hyperbole but not far off the mark as we have learned from the great American hero Edward Snowdon following in Ellsberg’s footprints.
If it quacks like a duck…
Surely Angela Merkal — hailing from East Germany herself — must have experienced a Kafkaesque nightmarish awakening upon learning her personal cell was being monitored by the US along with other world leaders. I would dare say she is no terrorist but this is not about terrorism at all anyways. That is simply a ruse.
The massive level of spying on citizens including internet monitoring of online activity including, phone records, reading e-mails, listening to calls — records can be easily created & stored using biometrics such as voice-to-text technology, Google, Verizon & Microsoft — probably all of them — and some like Microsoft even working hand in hand with government, giving government access to their back door — is how fascist governments operate.
The example of where s/he lived East Germany of all places supplied by the diarist is a bit rich as of all places what is taking place here is starkly similiar to the behavior of countries such as E. Germany.
So others including IT’s & government have access to our most personal information. We can can now be tagged like cattle bought & sold as well info misused by our future enemies to harm us which includes future job prospects.
Micheal Hastings was a marked man & a goner when he started his last & final project:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/…
The info most likely had been discovered through Obamas massive surveillance program greatly expanded from even what Bush was up to, known about & approved by our very own congress. He was closed in on just as he discovered he was being monitored. Our lives can now be tagged, bought, sold & traded like cattle. This is what slavery is all about. Land of free — home of brave? Please. I would not wish to be anywhere else but my vote will go to whoever is dedicated to ridding us of this scourge above all else.
This is how the Soviet Union operated as well as now-Russia. Reporters who report negatively on Putin just disappear.
A bit eery and irony cannot be missed that the once fascist dictatorship-style government & former red menace is now home to Snowdon while our once great nation of freedom & liberty (for the most part) has been ruined by moneyed interests & a congress which exists solely to advance & profit by making themselves obscenely wealthy while detrying our freedom.
A clear message that the table has now been turned.
Well this was really f’king weird. Signed out & went to check out this website. Lo & behold! Can’t make this stuff up:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/…
…where the Iron Heel of Stupidity ruled. But I escaped to Amerika. Alas, then I discovered that New Jersey had ‘conquered’ Amerika. And now New Jersey seeks to ‘enslave’ Vermont. I therefore call on Gov. Shumlin to declare that a STATE OF WAR exists between Vermont and the Empire of New Jersey. I mean, after all, Shumlin’s a Democrat.