Is Herman Cain a fascist?

[Wonkish1]

Again, as I've said on several occasions in the past, it's time to retire that word in contexts unrelated to the interwar period.  Hang its jersies up in the stadium for people to look at but not to be worn for future games, so to speak.

Also the fact that nobody that actually uses the word knows what it means.

If you were to look it up in a dictionary, Wikipedia, etc. It would focus on an ideology for "nationalism, national and/or ethnic pride, focus on honor, discipline, obedience, etc." but those are largely platitudes. In terms of actual *beliefs* this is what Fascism means:

1) A belief in Traditionalism and support for social values, but not in a religious sense. A Fascist wants people to change from praising religion to praising their nation and they seek to take the social values of that religion as transplant them as the social values of nation and community. Fascists don't like religion, but they intend to appeal to the religious by agreeing with their social values.
Example: Anti gay because of religious reasons becomes anti gay for national reasons. Religious dislike of Jews becomes hatred of Jews for national benefit, etc.

2) A focus on social order, exertion of force in many areas of daily life, excessive police force, etc. Essentially belief in a police state

3) A belief in using government in not owning the means of production, but indirectly controlling the means of production through regulation and proxy control of the business and the private sector

Defined in our political matrixes, Fascists are Statists. A true fascist would probably score about an E: -5 and S: 10. But the difference in the S among social conservatives and fascists is that fascists social values are out of fealty to the state and a social conservatives is out of fealty to a religion. Huge difference.

And when comparing German Nazi's to Italian fascists there are only 2 differences. What the former was willing to do in regards to race. And that the Nazi's actually engaged in a lot of state owned enterprise and were in fact also socialists where Italian Fascists sought only to control business not so much own it.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Do I have to repeat myself on how 'fascist'/'fascism' is the most overused word in politics?

[Wonkish1]

Do I have to repeat myself on how 'fascist'/'fascism' is the most overused word in politics?

Not to me you don't because I agree since its even used by people that don't even know what it means.

[Brandon H]

All political labels are getting misused or overused with fascist, communist, and neoconservative the most. Also noticed the people usually complaining about the far right are the far left and vice versa.

What percentage fascist does a person have to be to answer yes?

[RI]

All political labels are getting misused or overused with fascist, communist, and neoconservative the most. Also noticed the people usually complaining about the far right are the far left and vice versa.

What percentage fascist does a person have to be to answer yes?

'Percentage fascist' is irrelevant and borderline meaningless. A person should only be called a fascist (or any other political designation) if there is not a more specific and/or sufficiently descriptive alternative. There are many such more sufficient alternatives to describe Herman Cain than the emotionally-charged epithet of 'fascist'.

[greenforest32]

Well yes, he's a Republican, so by definition.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Calling him a fascist is giving him far too much importance.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I'm firmly convinced I've not met a Liberal that actually knows what the definition of Fascism is.

And this post only further confirms that for me.

Perhaps a candidate who has corporate ties and supports the further marrying of corporations and government all while championing AMERICA and patriotism and allegiance to your country while demonizing other cultures and ways of life--and legislating it all so we can worship our flag and God under the bootheel of gubmint/corporation?

Maybe that would be a fascist candidate?

Of course Herman Cain is not calling for the complete and utter destruction of the Jewish race... but the Nazis never became popular by opening up the death camps to public observation either.  They got to power using messaging not unlike Herman Cain's  (or any other Republican running sans Gingrich and Romney).

[Wonkish1]

I'm firmly convinced I've not met a Liberal that actually knows what the definition of Fascism is.

And this post only further confirms that for me.

Perhaps a candidate who has corporate ties and supports the further marrying of corporations and government all while championing AMERICA and patriotism and allegiance to your country while demonizing other cultures and ways of life--and legislating it all so we can worship our flag and God under the bootheel of gubmint/corporation?

Maybe that would be a fascist candidate?

Of course Herman Cain is not calling for the complete and utter destruction of the Jewish race... but the Nazis never became popular by opening up the death camps to public observation either.  They got to power using messaging not unlike Herman Cain's  (or any other Republican running sans Gingrich and Romney).

Or maybe a candidate that believes in making various industries all but institutions of the federal government to the point of even trying to dictate who should be there CEO, the production of their factories, the instruments they trade in, the amount of a haircut bondholders should take in bankruptcy, etc.

And a person that runs around championing the greatness of federal government and its almost God-like benevolence to its people.

A person who wants the force of government and its fines, jail sentences, etc. for breaking the millions of nanny state rules that he suggests. A clear example of government getting exerting force on all areas of daily life.

Yeah maybe somebody like that, eh?

Look in the modern day Statism is pretty rare and true Fascism is extremely rare. But definitely on the economic front many Democrats agree with the Fascist approach to the economy. That is a fact.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I'm firmly convinced I've not met a Liberal that actually knows what the definition of Fascism is.

And this post only further confirms that for me.

Perhaps a candidate who has corporate ties and supports the further marrying of corporations and government all while championing AMERICA and patriotism and allegiance to your country while demonizing other cultures and ways of life--and legislating it all so we can worship our flag and God under the bootheel of gubmint/corporation?

Maybe that would be a fascist candidate?

Of course Herman Cain is not calling for the complete and utter destruction of the Jewish race... but the Nazis never became popular by opening up the death camps to public observation either.  They got to power using messaging not unlike Herman Cain's  (or any other Republican running sans Gingrich and Romney).

where do you get the idea that Cain wants to marry government and corporations? from being against TARP? from not wanting to force people to buy a product from an insurance company?

[Wonkish1]

I'm firmly convinced I've not met a Liberal that actually knows what the definition of Fascism is.

And this post only further confirms that for me.

Perhaps a candidate who has corporate ties and supports the further marrying of corporations and government all while championing AMERICA and patriotism and allegiance to your country while demonizing other cultures and ways of life--and legislating it all so we can worship our flag and God under the bootheel of gubmint/corporation?

Maybe that would be a fascist candidate?

Of course Herman Cain is not calling for the complete and utter destruction of the Jewish race... but the Nazis never became popular by opening up the death camps to public observation either.  They got to power using messaging not unlike Herman Cain's  (or any other Republican running sans Gingrich and Romney).

where do you get the idea that Cain wants to marry government and corporations? from being against TARP? from not wanting to force people to buy a product from an insurance company?

Yeah I know, right. How could somebody that is an Obama supporter proclaim that its the other guys that want more government involved in business and vise versa.

You would be hard pressed to find any conservative that wants government and business more involved with each other than they already are.

[minionofmidas]

Either that or a complete moron.

Take your pick.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Thinking that business experience qualifies one for government--or vice-versa, for that matter--is certainly a thought pattern reminiscent of fascism.

With a lot of Democrats I think what often happens is they start from a position of socialism that gets watered down to half-assed economic fascism because of the corporate power, which is similar to the old slave power in that it LOVES a strong, interventionist central government but only when it serves its interests and can be more or less reliably controlled.

[King]

Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler, Hitler.

[RI]

Ok, his nein-nein-nein plan reminds me of fascism, but that's about it.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Ok, his nein-nein-nein plan reminds me of fascism, but that's about it.

/thread

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

999 reminds me of The Beatles.

[Person Man]

I dont give a heck about what Herman Cain thinks.

[Peanut]

What on God's green earth is this thread? It's... weird.

[Vosem]

Wow, I'd forgotten about Wonkish entirely.

[Crumpets]

Yes. When I think of Herman Cain, the first thing that comes to mind is NEIN NEIN NEIN!

[ProudModerate2]

I've never seen any evidence from him of a coherent political philosophy.

LOL.
Extra emphasis on "coherent."

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

HEIL HERMAN!

[Fuzzy Bear]

I didn't think Herman Cain was even relevant anymore.  He's just one more pundit.

Cain's not wrong on The Caravan, however.  Mexico either can't stop these folks, or they won't.