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The OP's perspective is myopic and biased and valid of course from that position.
To propose the rise of facism based on political opponents is to turn a blind eye to the folks that stand shoulder to shoulder to him.
You can argue labels all day and some nuance would invalidate any given definition just by the creative and interpretive nature of such an argument.
Looking at demonstrated behavior we see during the Obama campaign a warning by handlers that anyone who lies about candidate Obama will be prosectuted. Frightening enough that threat disappeared as fast as it was broadcast. Soon after the election and a push for Obamacare, that was thinly disguised as healthcare, administration officials asked opponents to Obamacare be reported to a whitehouse website. Stunning behavior reminscent of whatever dictitorial style you wish to name.
To listen to Pelosi say, 'you have to pass it to see what's in it' confirms the attitude of the elite political class that has the audacity to pass legislation with the admission no one read or understood the implications of law. That should have bought the country to a dead stop. that was an in your face treasonous act.
Obama said he would not pass Obamacare by nuclear option and did just that again without explaination.
Obama protested raising the debt ceiling as a senator warning that such a move indicates a lack of leadership. Obama used that position to gain votes before reversing himself without explaination after the election leaves the electorate without reference as to what and where the leader of their nation stands. It also indicates Obama is an untrustworthy individual who will say anything to gain political advantage to covertly advance an ideology.
Obama then becomes a shape shifting shadow who tells us to judge him by who he surrounds himself with. One look finds terrorists and communists and advisors who embrace the teachings of Mao whose image hangs from the whitehouse Xmas tree. Do not let arguments based on arguing lables divert you from the main issues. Obama and his demonstrated beahvior strongly suggests he is trying to take us in a direction the country does not want to go.
Everything to do with Obama adds up to a bad taste that defies description and labels and takes a distant placement to the unpalatable pap he is trying to serve us.
It seems to me in reading these threads that there are a number of people who are increasingly embracing a staunchly conservative, antiintellectual, antiimigrant, evangelical Christian, anti liberal, pro-military, pro-corporate power model for America. In this thinking there is one acceptable flavor for America and all other varieties are unAmerican options to be stomped out, whether they are athiest, gay, muslim, leftist, environmentalist, or whatever. And when you try to discuss things with these folks you get an endless stream of parroted vacuous slogans (Hussein Obama is a MUSLIM, global warming is a HOAX, tax cuts increase revenue!), and a complete unwillingness to consider ANY fact that does not fit in their ideological orthodoxy. In fact, any information, even from hundreds of senior scientists will be rejected, attacked, or ignored by political spinmeisters. This is pushing us away from a balanced, informed way to run our society, where ideas are constantly refined in light of new information and research, towards fanaticism.
This seems to me to be largely similar the rise of 20th century European fascism. I fear a reactionary, aggressive, intolerant world view that carves us into the chosen people and the scapegoats is taking over our country. Some will say it is the left, but I would have to say the far left socialists have been in retreat since Carter, perhaps before. This time it is coming from the far right.
Guys, gals! You act as though Obama has lost the election already. I know some of you are young but let this old conservative assure you that my side are performance artists at shooting themselves in the foot in the middle of a foot race. They curse their friends and allies in front of the enemy but worse they bow up, pout and stay home on election day when "their man/woman" does not win the nomination.
Being the great politician that he is, Obama is a long-distance runner. He was able to sucker in a lot of faux conservatives the last time. He may be able to do that again. This race is not over yet. Not even close.
You can never have "communism" in the U.S. due to its' "lite" representative democracy tempered by other mechanisms of the governing structure.
It's gonna be okay, though....
Same crowd that thinks religious background somehow weighs heavily on whom to elect if though he/she may institute, or even legislate religious doctrine on the entire populace?
I think I just said Communism is no longer a fear of Americans?
This forum is a very small section of the American people and tends to attract people "looking for a fight". The general population of the US is/has been trending towards more enlightened views for a while.
No worries
False. If that was true our fascist leaders wouldn't keep getting reelected.
'course, then again, conservatives are breeding like rabbits.
I'm gay. Their calls for my execution will be among the first I'm also a Buddhist. And a pacifist.
Dude, if the conservatives gain complete control, I'm just facked.
Laugh...... yes you are friend. I am concerned with Americans giving up their rights and protections under the guise of "national security" combined with increased power to large corporations via SC decisions like "Citizens United". Add in some failed campaign finance reform and we have a country gradually being run for the benefit of the wealthy and powerful.
At this point, I just wish Mr. Obama would at least focus on enforcement of existing law and regulations regarding industry.
Location: Currently I physically reside on the 3rd planet from the sun
2,220 posts, read 1,877,427 times
Reputation: 886
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fiddlehead
It seems to me in reading these threads that there are a number of people who are increasingly embracing a staunchly conservative, antiintellectual, antiimigrant, evangelical Christian, anti liberal, pro-military, pro-corporate power model for America. In this thinking there is one acceptable flavor for America and all other varieties are unAmerican options to be stomped out, whether they are athiest, gay, muslim, leftist, environmentalist, or whatever. And when you try to discuss things with these folks you get an endless stream of parroted vacuous slogans (Hussein Obama is a MUSLIM, global warming is a HOAX, tax cuts increase revenue!), and a complete unwillingness to consider ANY fact that does not fit in their ideological orthodoxy. In fact, any information, even from hundreds of senior scientists will be rejected, attacked, or ignored by political spinmeisters. This is pushing us away from a balanced, informed way to run our society, where ideas are constantly refined in light of new information and research, towards fanaticism.
This seems to me to be largely similar the rise of 20th century European fascism. I fear a reactionary, aggressive, intolerant world view that carves us into the chosen people and the scapegoats is taking over our country. Some will say it is the left, but I would have to say the far left socialists have been in retreat since Carter, perhaps before. This time it is coming from the far right.
Anti-intellectual is a slanderous ad-hominem attack to disparage the credibility of the speaker rather than the argument of those who disagree with you. It is also an opinion statement which exposes a bias of arrogance where you either consciously or sub-consciously consider your opinions and statements as intellectually superior to those who disagree with you. Perhaps this is true, perhaps not, but you need to address the argument rather than slander the speaker to prove this or you are the one who appears anti-intellectual.
As for anti-immigrant, I would like to understand what you mean by this term. Perhaps you consider me anti-immigrant because I wish to quit spending money we don't have on people who are in this country illegally. I wish to tighten security on our borders to prevent people from entering our country illegally. I wish to provide tighter requirements for allowing those who wish to emigrate to our country legally.
I don't consider this anti-immigration, I consider it rational requirements for legal immigration. If you disagree I respect that but would like to hear your arguments rather than ignorant labels.
I am pro-military in the sense of national defense, however I absolutely abhor the military occupation of sovereign nations by our armed forces as well as the use of military personnel (against our constitutional rights) and para-military forces by our own government against citizens of the United States.
I am very much pro-small business and believe that big business has a role in a free society. However I believe the relationship between big business and government is riddled with illegal arrangements and corruption (corporatism) again in violation of our rights defined within the Contitution and Bill of Rights.
As for evangelical Christian traditions, again there is a role for them in a free society as long as they do not engage in violence, coercion or subversion of our rule of law as I believe Islam does. (note the statement 'believe', I try not to state my beliefs as facts)
The bottom line Fiddle, is I don't believe we are as far apart as a 2 party system who divides and distracts the populace would like us to believe. A 2 party system that I believe is also not as far apart in ideology as they would also have us believe.
There are many issues which divide us, however a 2 party system is irrational as a system to resolve these differences as it does not allow enough diversity to truly encompass political thought. I am not a 'republican' or 'democrat' - I am a citizen of the United States who recognizes the corruption of our system for what it is and reject these silly labels which encourage our division and distration while both parties continue to rape us and our country at the behest of corporate and foreign interests.
The United States is a declining power, and its citizens are becoming polarized to such a great degree that hatred and blame are the outlets that seem to be most popular. I hear both sides blame the other for the state we are in. Both sides are to blame, the Democrats and Republicans are both owned by the corporations that truly run this country with their armies of lobbyists and campaign money. As long as we let the corporations run this country, they will continue to rape our resources, both natural and labor, til we have nothing left but to turn on each other like drowning rats. I fear that the average citizen of this country is too ingnorant to stop the inevitable though- this country will collapse into a third or fourth rate country before it is all over, and the corporations will have moved on to the next power that will rise up to take our place.
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labels smabels, I see what your doing
