Actually, fascism is easy to understand. It is a form of government wherein, regardless of the political alignment, the government and BUSINESS co-conspire to consolidate power.

There are three types:

National corporatism
National socialism
National syndicalism

We can recognize fascism when the government takes over the means of the material production, the industries, with biases toward consolidating the government's power for the perpetuation of its ill-gotten power.

Fascism arises within a nation when militants, under the guise of professed hatred of amorality, abandon the processes of democracy and instead seize the reins of power by illegitimate or thinly veiled technically legitimate processes. They insist on a process of national purification, under the guise of a vibrant morality, or national good, which leads to the pillaging of wealth of some minority population to fill the coffers of the government needed to invest in the national industries A policy of external expansion is usually adopted. Fascists tend to be focused on modernization; all else other than the most modern means of subduing populations is ridiculed and vilified. Every means of production is eventually slanted toward consolidation of the authority of the state, as overcompensation for their illegitimate power grab.

All fascists need is a popular excuse of abandonment of cherished morals, a power vacuum (real or perceived), a major depression (real or perceived), and a charismatic voice capable of chastising the population into following through fear of being left out of the inevitable.

It is interesting to note that, historically, the first thing Fascists due is imprison or kill all of the Liberals. The last thing they due is kill the conservatives when they are no longer needed.

Get Real predicts that the next fascist take-over will NOT be based on the morals or political ideologies that concern us today. The next modern 'technology' that will cause people to fear being 'left behind' is the movement to turn technology inward upon ourselves, and improve ourselves, individually and in our offspring, by genetic manipulation. Designer genes for looks, for longevity, for health. The ability to do more longer with less energy aided by cyborg implants. Living skin impenetrable by bullets and bombs, yet soft and pliable. Enhanced brain power via gene 'therapy' to enhance one's modes of thoughts into higher realms. An upper elite echelon who deserve to rule because of their supposed mental and physical superiority. With the inferiors being exterminated and their wealth taken to sustain the cult government.

Some of the corporate system is wizened and hardened enough to do all of this covertly. Bias built into health care preferences based on genetics. Prioritization of improving health care in diseases or conditions that afflict the rich

We, the liberals and conservatives PEOPLE of today are, compared to true fascists, like peas in a pod. We can be led in any direction by the talking points of the party for the issue of the day.

What amuses me is that conservatives fail to see that Liberals care more about the well-being of each and every conservative than the leadership of the conservative party does. I say this without blinking. Conservatives tend to favor the paternal form of government; masculine; don't help the needy, you will only keep them weak. Liberals tend to favor the feminine form of government, maternal, caring; helping those who need it a little, to give them a boost. Government programs for college education. Safe highways and bridges. Sustainable renewable cheap energy.

Bush's "compassionate conservatism" was just a tagline meant to attract the caring moderates. It went nowhere.

Now, I'm not saying conservatives don't care about people. They do. They just care more about their ideology then they care about helping people. Which is sad. They feel like they are a dope if their taxes are used to help someone out; we Liberals feel empowered when we know that the lives of those around us are improved and human suffering is reduced by our taxes. But only to a limit; we don't want a population of non-productive citizens leaching off the taxes of others any more than conservatives do.


So don't listen to the one-line pundits who oversimplify everything. Obama is not a socialist. He's actually an open-minded politician who, in the end, will listen to the stakeholders including you, and me, and the doctors, and the insurance companies, and the drug companies, and try to find a new configuration that works for as many stake holders as possible. Absolute simplification and hatred of something just because you don't understand it is stone-age thinking. I know this, we will never improve our situation by name-calling across the ideological aisle. We have to have meaningful, deep sessions where real valuation of possibilities are considered.

JBodine:

Bush expanded the government. Bush blew up the deficit.

You should have told him to leave your wallet alone.

Did you?

What makes you think that a GOP presidency would do anything but further increase the deficit?

Call them Spend and Spend Conservatives. Or Borrow and Spend Conservatives.

What do you say to this trend?

Please.