because I thought she would have made a far better President.

Are you serious?

I do not see mccain as the new hitler.

But... can you please tell me how we are not and have not been going down this path for the last 30 years or so, mainly in the last 7 plus years.

hmmm? http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/f ascism

Progressive Blue

Especially to the rich and powerful. A few more years of denial is worth a LOT to them, even if it comes at a huge national cost.

I see a real need for auditing the financial system, as well as the huge Federal expenditures on Iraq.

I cant seem to get rid of a nagging feeling that we are basically being pillaged.

Its common in mature economies.. those who can take whatever they can, and then leave, saddling the nation with huge, crippling debt. Thats what happened to Germany.

The common people, who had NOT run up the debt, were tasked with PAYING for it. naturally, nobody wants to spend the rest of their lives paying somebody else's debt.

(That was no different then than it is now.)

They were desperate. People saw their lives slipping away. People who had always had work, had nothing. Homes and businesses were being foreclosed. Monied people, in particular, were terrified of what they saw as near anarchy (democracy, with its 'mob rule') or Stalin's (TRULY evil brand of) Communism.

Hitler was their 'savior'. He talked about opening up some "breathing room" for Germany. A "thousand year Reich". Even defeated Germany was still a formidable power. Many in the rest of the world sympathized with the underdog, Germany.

If it had not been for a number of notable mistakes, Hitler might have won World War II.

Few Americans realize that Hitler's ideas on race and eugenics, which were at the core of his ideology, came from the US.

Did you know, for example, that that Hitler had a huge portrait of Henry Ford that dominated his office wall?

That many of his early financiers came from the US?

That a fascist coup almost succeeded in taking over the US in 1934?

Thanks.

My mind is a strange and wonderful thing to waste.  :)

Progressive Blue

Civics should be mandatory in Jr. High/Middle school and High School. The survival of this nation depends on this more than the three R's. These are also needed, but are more for getting a job and making money for you or your boss. Without Civics people forget WHY this nation exist and what it stands for.

Progressive Blue

I must disagree.

John Edwards was the leader I really wanted. Before that Wes Clark. John became the "one" after I started to really hear him speak truth to power.

Progressive Blue

for being an idiotic sheep.

Things like this DO NOT happen over night. Get it?

One of the things that has helped keep this from happening full bore is what little independent media we have left. The internet and blogs.

You are BLIND if you can not see the fascism that is growing in this country.

Just take a look at this and see if you see any similarities.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/f ascism

Progressive Blue

Let me ask you this.

Did you read the bottom half of my diary? What are your answers and responses to what I wrote? Or is what I wrote "idiotic"?

Progressive Blue

seriously THINK about it.

http://www.reference.com/search?q=fascis m

Progressive Blue

To paraphrase Santayana, those who are ignorant of history are condemned to write illucid and misinformed diaries. The diarist and the bulk of the commenters lack a fundamental understandng of fascism and the changes in US government over the last thirty years. Fascism is, contrary to popular belief, not dictatorship; it is the merger of government and big business interests.

From Ronald Reagan on, corporations have indeed gained strength and greater proximity to the levers of power. There has been consolidation or deregulation in most major industries: airlines, defense contractors, the financial sector, the energy sector, mass media and many others. Much of this has been accomplished through the weakening of the Sherman Act, Glass-Steagle, union protections, etc. In some cases (see: Bush, George W.) it has been due to inefficient or insincere regulation by the Executive Branch. (GWB as had Reagan before him, installed foxes to monitor every henhouse.) While these efforts have largely been the wet dream of the right, numerous left-leaning politicians have acted as collaborators.

When Reagan took office in 1981 the prime rate was 20 1/4%, inflation was mid-double digits and some loosening of regulation was clearly indicated. Through his initial tax cuts (at the time the largest ever), broad acceptance of M & A activity, firing of the air traffic controllers, (PATCO) Reagan, aided by the steady hand of Paul Volker at the Federal Reserve, was able to improve our competitive situation in the world and our living standards at home. This is not to say that Reagan wasn't a right-wing asshole; he was, but he did improve the economic conditions in the country. He also enacted some of the largest tax increases in our history when he realized he had gone too far.

Despite the table being set for fascism we didn't go there. For every action there is (eventually) an equal and opposite reaction. That led to Bill Clinton's 1993 10% tax surcharge (on igh earners) which in turn, bolstered by the new IT industry, led to an apparent budget surplus. (I say apparent because the way these guys keep score, humongous future entitlement deficits don't seem to count.)

And then came Bush. He pushed it as far as it could go, then a little more, then even more than that. But now nobody seems to be satisfied with the economy. Will we default to fascism? No. We'll just, as we did in 2006, throw the bums out.

Please read what I wrote in a comment above. Also, please read the info at the update links in the diary.

....hmmmm

Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

Progressive Blue

Also... how about refering to the US as the "homeland". Also.. what about the HUGE new detention facilities that HAVE been built and are bing built?

One of them is HERE in Tacoma, WA in the port area. It replaces what was once a small "illegal immigrant" detention facility in Seattle.

Progressive Blue