"something I can only describe somewhat ridiculously as fascism."

[swag]

Blog quote of the day:

There's a kind of agony play at hand now, and I think it demonstrates among other things how very much this administration was willing to manipulate the truth, the press, and ultimately the American public in some sort of never ending campaign that flickered at its most extreme and excessive into the orbit of something I can only describe somewhat ridiculously as fascism. The threat appears to have receded, but the sense one is left with, of a great democracy that is far more vulnerable than many had realized, is one of shock and tragedy, as well as relief that the worst may be over for now.

http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/003088.html

[prescole]

1. I used to hate the glib use of "fascism" to refer to the right wingers

but damned if some of them haven't crossed that line. Not the Buchanans or the Buckleys or the Goldwaters--I mean this bunch in the White House who torture, use chemical weapons, detain without due process, establish gulags outside the country, and help Big Oil make millions while so many suffer.
Fuck you, Bush. Fuck yourself, Cheney. I want my country back

[No Exit]

4. Interesting, isn't it?

Liberals speaking out: for years and years and years I heard their detractors saying things like, "Uh-oh, that's CREEPING SOCIALISM... it's like the Soviet Union... it's soulless, it robs people of their individuality and free will... welfare, eeek! Welfare takes a way a person's self-respect and makes a slave of him/her... blah blah blah blah blah blah..."

Conservatives (like Buckley) speaking out: I heard people say, "Uh-oh, it's authoritarianism! Paternalism! Might even be fascism! They are aggressive and they hate the weak... they'll just kill or let die anyone whose skin isn't the right color... etc."

Maybe there was a small grain of truth in these extreme criticisms. Very small, usually--because the majority of people who followed one or the other would have to temper their agreement with practicality, because the majority of people live in the real world.

But now look: it wasn't either of the types I was warned about who proved to be the real threat. This demolition crew just swept into power and started breaking stuff. Every bit of its momentum was propelled by GREED. Just plain GREED. No "creeping" anything, no "subtle takeover of one's thinking", nothing like that. Just get into power and start TAKING.

[drduffy]

2. nothing has receded....

the shit patriot act v2 is about to be passed. govt intrusion and spying has increased... continues. the darkest hours are just before the dawn - may not come to pass this time.

[RazzleDazzle]

3. The country has morphed into fascism through and through

None need be too delicate about speaking the truth. In fact, trying to keep it a secret, or tiptoeing around the subject is counterproductive.