It Can't Happen Here ( a police state?)

[rodeodance]

http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul225.html

It Can't Happen Here


by Rep. Ron Paul, MD



In 2002 I asked my House colleagues a rhetorical question with regard to the onslaught of government growth in the post-September 11th era: Is America becoming a police state?

The question is no longer rhetorical. We are not yet living in a total police state, but it is fast approaching. The seeds of future tyranny have been sown, and many of our basic protections against government have been undermined. The atmosphere since 2001 has permitted Congress to create whole new departments and agencies that purport to make us safer – always at the expense of our liberty. But security and liberty go hand-in-hand. Members of Congress, like too many Americans, don’t understand that a society with no constraints on its government cannot be secure. History proves that societies crumble when their governments become more powerful than the people and private institutions.

Unfortunately, the new intelligence bill passed by Congress two weeks ago moves us closer to an encroaching police state by imposing the precursor to a full-fledged national ID card. Within two years, every American will need a “conforming” ID to deal with any federal agency – including TSA at the airport.

Undoubtedly many Americans and members of Congress don’t believe America is becoming a police state, which is reasonable enough. They associate the phrase with highly visible symbols of authoritarianism like military patrols, martial law, and summary executions. But we ought to be concerned that we have laid the foundation for tyranny by making the public more docile, more accustomed to government bullying, and more accepting of arbitrary authority – all in the name of security. Our love for liberty above all has been so diminished that we tolerate intrusions into our privacy that would have been abhorred just a few years ago. We tolerate inconveniences and infringements upon our liberties in a manner that reflects poorly on our great national character of rugged individualism. American history, at least in part, is a history of people who don’t like being told what to do. Yet we are increasingly empowering the federal government and its agents to run our lives.

[Radical Activist]

1. Miami FTAA protests

For several days the city of Miami became a fascist police state. If they can do it once without consequence they can do it again anytime they like. The police state is here.

[judy]

2. It's here, and so is fascism...

If you don't believe that, check out:

http://www.rense.com/general37/fascism.htm

The 14 defining characteristics of fascism, and you will see that every item is here...

We need to accept once and for all that this is the case, and start researching the various ways with which fascism was stopped or defeated in history. I am sure that there are better ways than being invaded by foreign armies, or having a violent revolution.

[CrispyQ]

4. Thanks for the link . . .

I've read the 14 characteristics of fascism & agree -- they are all in various stages of bloom in the US -- some in full bloom. But I had not read the "But Then it was too Late" article. Very good!

[leveymg]

5. (Mis)use of the term Fascism?

I feel uncomfortable using terms like Fascism, because I am sensitive to how the other side misuses "Communism" as a scatological brush to tar its ideological opponents. I'm not a communist - unless Jefferson was one. But, I'm becoming more attuned to the possibility that BushCo really is a fascist front with a genuinely fascist agenda and historical legacy.

[tngledwebb]

6. Spend some time in Europe , where 50 years ago Fascism ruled.

Through brutal experience the Europeans have learned it's best to call a fascist a fascist, and not be decieved by the glittering surfaces.

I just hope they can cut through our MSM bullshit better than we do, and will come to our aid faster than we came to theirs.

[EmpireWeAre]

12. American Fascism

FDR’s vice pres Henry A. Wallace article in the New York Times, April 9, 1944
American Fascism

“The American fascist would prefer not to use violence. His method is to poison the channels of public information. With a fascist the problem is never how best to present the truth to the public but how best to use the news to deceive the public into giving the fascist and his group more money or more power.”
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/082103F.shtml

Our MSM is doing a good job of this right now.

[CatholicEdHead]

3. Good for Paul to bring this up

Rep Ron Paul is a Libertarian in Republican clothing. He is looked as a god on another board I am on. I like his civil rights stances but disagree with his economic policies (which are also Libertarian, e.g. NO GOVERNMENT).

I do hold him overall in much more respect than most other Republicans. Many Republicans cannot stand him. He basically won in Texas because he ran as a Republican after loosing after running as an Libertarian. Just goes to show many people vote depending if you have a D, R, L, etc... next to your name on the ballot.

[jimfromthebronx10469]

7. "IT CAN HAPPEN HERE"

ESPECIALLY HERE IN NYC. SINCE 911 OUR POLICE HAVE BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE IN THEIR PURSUITS OF SECURITY.STOPPING VEHICLES FOR RANDOM CHECKS HAVE EXPLODED.NOT ONLY DO THE NY PD. GET TO EXAMINE THE INDIVIDUAL THEY STOPPED FOR WARRANTS THEY ALSO ISSUE SUMMONSES TODAY, BY THE MILLIONS.LOOK AT THE "TSA" THESE DAYS NOW THEIR ALLOWED TO PHYSICALLY PAT YOU DOWN INCLUDING THE CROTCH AREAS.I'VE READ SOME OF THE NEW"PATRIOT ACT"2 WHERE IF AMERICA IS NUKED GOVERNMENT MAY SUSPEND THE BILL OF RIGHTS.DARKNESS HAS DESCENDED UPON MY COUNTRY AND SOMEDAY I HOPE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

[Jason Bradfield]

8. lewrockwell.com is not a bad right-wing site

As a former right-winger I can attest to the fact that lewrockwell.com is not bad for a right-wing site. They are hard-core libertarians and anarchists (of the rightist variety) but they are more reasonable than the fascist at nationalreview.com

Jason Bradfield
jaybradfield.blogspot.com

[rodeodance]

9. I did a knee jerk when I saw the site address also--but some things are ok

[reprehensor]

10. Ron Paul makes up for his sins...

... by being a consistently vocal opponent of BushCo.

Here is one of his classics;

Neo-Conned!

[txaslftist]

11. Rockwell is a great site!!!

They aren't RIGHT WING, they are Libertarians. Rabid, mad-dog, bomb-throwing anarchistic libertarians.

I love this site, even if I disagree with them on a lot of stuff, just because they are refreshingly honest and unafraid to speak to power. They are more unabashedly anti-Bush than most mainstream dems.

[teryang]

13. Don't think its happening?

I picked a jury on monday in which two thirds of venire worked for the police, the department of corrections, or the county jail. This was direct employment. Usually, its my son works there, my spouse works there, or I work for a contractor who provides services for one of these agencies, about 30-40 percent fall into this category.

Once I weed this people out, I have a fighting chance.

Try picking a jury for civil trial, two thirds are freaken brain washed about "tort reform" and "frivolous lawsuits" and the evil of "trial lawyers."

I believe that you can still get a fair trial, if you can get one, in the criminal courts. The system is rigged against you unless you are rich, in the court administration area. How do 200 people who are innocent get a trial on calendar which only has 46 trial days a year?

I don't think a fair trial is possible in the civil jurisdiction in my state anymore. The barriers/costs are too high and the restrictions on fees and judgements make civil trials an uneconomic prospect. So there was a big movement to class actions to even up the score. Now repukes are going to ban class actions thru tort reform legislation and corporatist judicial appointments. I admire the few successful PI lawyers still out there fighting in court, some can no longer afford to do so.