Reply #34: As A Matter Of Fact, You ARE Throwing That Word Around [View All]

[Paladin]

As a number of other posters are doing on this thread.

The plain fact of the matter is, not every restrictive measure implemented by government is bad. The same thinking that sees seatbelt and anti-smoking restrictions as fascistic was used to oppose child labor laws, anti-pollution regulations, fluoridation of water---there's an almost limitless list of beneficial things that were opposed on the same old Evil Fascistic Nanny State basis. It wasn't convincing in the past, and it isn't convincing, now.

Having said all that, let me just mention that the incipient presence of fascism in this country scares me to death right now. The shredding of major constitutional protections by the Bush regime---aided and abetted by a fearful public and a chickenshit Congress---has brought us to a perilous position that will be studied by historians for decades to come, and will take decades to make right. While you libertarians are getting your knickers in a knot about your sacred rights to get lung cancer or die in a car wreck, Dick Cheney marches onward. Quit pissing away your outrage on trivialities; if you want evidence of real and terrifying fascism on the rise, there are---God help us---a lot better examples of it right now.....