My wing-nut neighbor was PROUD of what we are doing in Iraq. He thinks Bush is doing a great job running the country. He thinks the only problem is Democrats obstructing the President's ability to run our country. I reminded him that his party controlled the executive and legislative branches, and a good deal of the judiciary along with much of the MSM. He didn't get it. It was all the Democrats fault.

The point that Republicans think the way our country is going is great should be pointed out. I'd like to see that they are held accountable for their stewardship of our country. Americans have to remember who is in control of our government. It ain't the Democrats. We can't really pass or obstruct squat.

Bush and his ownership society own their mess. We have to reinforce that.

When the government employs doctors to advise them how to "break" prisoners through psychological and physical "stress" (read torture); when it invades smaller nations in "pre-emptive" war, when it steals elections from the real winners-we are living with a Fascist state, a Fascist president and government.

I don't like to see this, but this is what has happened in our country.  We have a Fascist operating government running the country-the military, the press, religious institutions, on Fascist principles.  The only difference is that there is still freedom to get on the Internet, to write letters to the editor, (if the corporate editors do not censor them), to listen to Air America if you are in one of the few areas of the country where they are on the air, to get some progressive opinion on public radio and tv.  But that is going to be taken away soon.

Anytime now, could be tomorrow, could be next week, or 2 months or a year from now, one only nows, but it is coming, the Fascist Bush White House will fake another national emergency and take us into another war against "terror."  Those who oppose it will be branded as traitors to the brave soldiers fighting and risking their lives for our "freedom".  This time, a super-Patriot Act III will be rammed through Congress.  The spineless congressional Democrats, just like the spineless members of the Reichstag in early 1930's of the Weimer Republic who allowed Hitler to assume full control, will stand by meekly while the Internet is censored, the free press banned as "treasonour" and anti-Bush and anti-war demonstrations will be prohibited as threats to national security in this national emergency.

The only difference is that now we are able to criticize-although our dissent does not matter a rat's ass to the Bush Administration or to the spineless Democrats on Capitol Hill.

When the new terrorism national emergency happens, our freedom will be taken away from us completely.  They will come after the progressives, the liberal Christians, the Arabs, the gays, the feminists, the ACLU, the New York Times, the Kennedys, Barbara Boxer, Dennis Kucinich, the labor unionists, the teachers.

They will come after them and show them no mercy.

The hate is all over the radio band.  The paronia is there, they have their men at the levers of power.  The only option is widespread mobilization in the streets to demand that the 2006 elections be fair and free and the votes counted and stolen out from underneath our noses.
If we can't, or won't, do this, and take back the Congress in 2006, or if the Fascists make their clampdown and national emergency effective before then, all may be lost.

We let them steal the 2000, 2002 and 2004 elections.  If another one goes by, and these Fascists retain power, I shudder for the future of my country and the world.

I know your post will probably disappear into a black hole within a few weeks.  :(  I really do think it's phenomenally important.

ask PW Botha

First we identify internal enemies of the state and suppress them either through intimidation or forcefully. Then we pick a "fundamental" value that is being threatened by external forces (clash of civilizations, supply of raw materials, etc).

Then we whip the people up into a fury of righteous indignation. It is then a short step to justified war. It's hard to determine if our foes will be those restricting our supplies of raw materials (the middle east) or those competing for the available supplies (China).

Just like an ant colony that is under stress starts to adjust the types of ants that get created (workers vs soldiers) the same seems to happen with societies. We are training a new generation that is being taught the "us vs them" creed.

Just look at Iran as an example of how a moderately westernized society can be thrown back into the dark ages. Read Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis" series for an insider's view of the Islamic Revolution.

Another good literay work on the subject:
"It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair Lewis

A determined minority with control over industry and the media can rapidly change public perception. Just remember it doesn't take much money to buy the loyalty of a poor person.

All the same, it seems like a good lesson for Democrats to take to heart. Or it would be if the Democrats were capable of growing a spine and meeting the GOPers head on. It is difficult to defend the M$M when it is so obviously biased against you, but it may be better than nothing. I'll have to give that some thought.

  . . . . . . . . .  . hmmmm . . . . . .

OK. I've thought it over.

Maybe we should join the wingnuts in condemning the M$M. Tracy Chapman had a great song on her New Beginning album titled Start All Over Again. The actual lyrics were "Tear it all down and start all over again.

She was actually talking about the whole world, but the M$M may be a good place to start.

I wonder what lengths the administration will go to keep from losing seats in congress? Will a simple terror alert ramp up be enough? It won't be as easy for them to affect all the congressional elections as it was the presidency. They can't start another war without a draft. What can they do? What are the options, really?

So, no matter what it looks or smells like (I won't even mention taste), whatever happens, fascism will never come to America.

And we can all rest easier knowing this is so.

Except for the gays.

And the Moslems.

And the intellectuals.

And the Jews.

Some people just never know how to relax.

The danger of joining in the attack on the media is that a general distrust of information sources will lead to isolation and paranoia, which helps right wing politics. The danger of not attacking the media is that the supine collaboration that it presents gets defined as liberalism when it isn't close. This may be another case where calling for reform--pointing out the weaknesses while simultaneously reminding people of what the true role of the press in a free society should be--may be the best strategy.