The Republican convention and the specter of dictatorship

[Union Thug]

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/sep2004/bush-s04.shtml

The Republican convention and the specter of dictatorship
By Bill Van Auken, SEP presidential candidate
4 September 2004


George W. Bush’s closing speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention should serve as a warning of what is being prepared by his administration in its pursuit of the interests of America’s ruling elite.

The festival of fear, intimidation and hatred staged inside Madison Square Garden carried with it the implicit threat of escalating war abroad and dictatorship at home. It expressed the perplexity of a ruling elite that perceives itself as besieged by economic and social contradictions that are spinning out of control.

The speech was delivered in an atmosphere dominated by police repression of demonstrators in the streets of New York City, and grotesque attempts inside the Garden to cast the sadist in the White House as a divinely chosen leader of the people.

Bush strode onto the stage through a pair of Corinthian columns and climbed up terraced steps to a raised circular platform to deliver his address. He stood above the crowd on a blue rug bearing the presidential seal, reading nervously from his TelePrompTer. The production suggested something out of the Roman Empire.

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[AlCzervik]

1. Animal Farm n/t

[Dhalgren]

2. I think this is a great piece.

There is very little to argue with. The man is telling the truth.