Posted at Firedoglake 6/19/06

I know I should learn to just keep my big mouth shut. But hey, if you’re gonna set me up like this, I’m gonna take the bait. All of the con artists mentioned in your post go together under the rubric of Fascism, at least as that brand of government is characterized by Laurence Britt (and presented at www.oldamericancentury.org/14pts.htm). In fact, the essential difference between Fascism and other isms (including liberalism) is that fascism tends to emphasize the CorporateCons and the TheoCons (something you would never see in communism, or, for that matter in a pluralistic society like we always thought this one was). Britt points out that the government, in favoring corporations, and in essentially welding corporate and government into a seamless fabric, consolidates power in the hands of a VERY few people. It enriches the government and corporations alike. And the preachy theocrats use religion as a form of social control, while ignoring its fundamental tenets in their own lives and dealings. Sound familiar? Privileging the military, obsessing over national security (even inventing situations to engender fear–a favorite trick of Hitler’s, by the way: consider the Reichstag Fire and its aftermath, in which habeas corpus was suspended, all communications were considered open to government scrutiny, and physical searches no longer needed court orders), and disdaining human rights. Fraudulent elections was another favorite technique of fascist thugs. Cronyism, corruption, scapegoating intellectuals and liberals, institutional or de facto control of the media (listening FOX?). Rampant sexism, homophobia. You name it. The Bush regime has it all! I refuse, hereafter, to call them anything but what they very clearly are–fascists.