The Left Called the U.S. Government Fascist, Too
By Anthony Gregory • Wednesday March 31, 2010 2:14 PM PDT • 5 Comments
And the media and respectable liberals were not nearly as hysterical about this. Of course, there was a kernel of truth to the left’s descriptions of Bush as a fascist, and there is truth to the criticism of the Obama administration as fascist. It is incoherent to say one is true and not the other, given the extreme continuity in policy between the two presidencies. But while the left is correct that corporatism, crackdowns on civil liberties and perpetual aggressive war are elements of a fascist state, they often forget that socialism and nationalist supremacy over states and individuals are also an important component. Similarly, the right is correct that Obamacare, Cap and Trade, gun control and politically correct thought crime are features of fascism, but they ignore the prison system, police state, national security state and war as being all part of the same horrible package. Under both Republicans and Democrats, we get the fascist policies that both sides criticize when they are out of power.
So is Obama governing like a fascist? In many ways, yes. Did Bush? Same answer. If we could only get some of these Bush-era leftists, seen below, to break bread with the Tea Parties—both groups seeing part of the picture but buying into large parts of what it means to support authoritarianism and indeed national socialism—then maybe we could see some significant progress.
UPDATE: Naomi Wolf, thoughtful leftist critic of the Bush administration, has not betrayed her principles, going so far as to defend the Tea Parties and to say her warnings about American fascism are “unfortunately [even] more relevant” under Obama.
Tags: Fascism, Imperialism, Inflation, Personal Liberty, Philosophy, Police, Politics, Presidential Power, Uncategorized, War 
Unfortunately most people are too set in their ways. Challenging one’s belief system requires intellectual curiosity and a willingness to admit that some or all of what one advocated previously may be flawed.
The average person is too involved in the mundane activities of life to bother with such an endeavor. Why question the role of the state, its destructive wars, needless regulations, and onerous taxation? Too much to think about. “Hey, American Idol is on tonight!”
This attitude won’t change until something catastrophic occurs. Another war and gas at $5 per gallon might do it. Or a complete collapse of the dollar (bank on it) would surely concentrate minds.
Steve Hogan | Mar 31, 2010 | Reply
There are lefties that are able to look at Obama critically, and then there are Democrats. From what I see, the authors/commenters here and at firedoglake.com are quite a bit a like, but the dailykos and redstate have more in common with each other than they even know.
The only way we can reach out to each other is by leaving our comfort zone and going into the other camps.
If we don’t reach out now, and start sharing or replacing portions of the scripts people live by, when something catastrophic happens(shock) the manipulative power brokers will, and turn us against our fellow citizens. The mask will eventually come off of this “friendly” corporatist police state that is strangling us bit by bit.
This is a class war. It’s fascism, and neofeudalism.
shekissesfrogs | Apr 1, 2010 | Reply
It was just 18 or so months ago that dissent was the highest level of patriotism (quoted from Hillary, I believe), but not anymore.
Speedmaster | Apr 1, 2010 | Reply
I agree Mr. Gregory. I was just trying to make the same points with an old friend and a couple of his buddies on his Facebook page. The trouble with partisans in the Democrat-Republican battle is that all they really want is that their side be in charge.
Regarding the passage of the healthcare bill, these guys basically said that they didn’t mind all the lying, fraud, political payoffs and secret meetings as long as “something” got passed. How does one respond to that? I was mumbling under my breath about “slave mentality” the whole time.
RickC | Apr 1, 2010 | Reply
Whether left or right, fascist or not, we want the government to take care of us, provide justice, restore balances, look out for the little guy battling the big corporations. We force the government to take actions and turn around and get upset because they are doing too much. Where does the answer lie of how much is too much.
Should we, as individuals, believe the answer lies with us – we are wrong. There are so many others out there who are citizens as well. Someone is going to lose, no matter what decisions are finally made.
Bruce Blanchard | Apr 11, 2010 | Reply