Is the Republican Party fascist?

[Gabu]

Oh yeah, everyday I wear my millitary uniform, salute the Swatstika with a stiff arm, and sing "Deutchland Uber Alles" with great vigor. I am a looking forward to April 20th, David Duke and I are going to celebrate Hitler's Brithday by jeering some rabbis.

HEIL HITLER

[J.R. Brown]

Tell me if this doesn't sound like the extreme right wing of the Republican Party, which has control of the party right now.

This is from the Oxford Dictionary of Politics.

Genuinley fascist ideologies are:
MONIST: based upon the notion that there are fundamental and basic truths about humanity and the environment which do not admit to question.

SIMPLISTIC: In the sense of ascribing complex phenomena to single causes and advancing single remedies.

FUNDAMENTALIST: Involving a division of the world into 'good' and 'bad' with nothing in between.

CONSPIRATORIAL: predicated on the existence of a secret world-wide (in our case nationwide liberal) conspiracy by a hostile group seeking to manipulate the masses to achieve and/or maintain a dominant position.

Monist: Global warming is backed by irrefutable science, anyone who questions it is stupid and cannot admit to the reality.

Simplistic: The bad is the result of corporations, we must reduce corporate power.

Fundamentalist: Bush is Hitler, the incarnation of evil in the modern world.  I like Dean, though.

Conspiratorial: Bush invaded Iraq because he is secretly controlled by oil companies and financiers, like Halliburton and Carlyle Group.

See?  This game is fun!

Socialism is supposed to be a system in which there is no inequality, everyone is equal. You're thinking of Soviet socialism where the state controled the distribution of wealth.

If the government doesn't redistribute the wealth, who does?  It seems you're trying to draw a very gray line.

What happened to a free market, where everyone earns their own wealth?

Monist: God created man and woman, homosexuality is unnatual. (Social environment not the natuarl environment)

Simplistic: Religious Right (every position that they take is simplistic and the Republican Party takes their political ques from them)

Fundamentalist: Christians good, Muslims bad.

Conspiratorial: Liberal judges are trying to change the values of this country.

You're right. this is fun

Your thread's poin is that the Republicans are fascist for having the four qualities above.  Proving that Democrats have them as well disproves that idea, unless you believe both parties are facist.  Showing that Republicans have the qualities that fit your arbitrary definition of facism does not affect this, since I have already accepted that elements of th GOP have these allegedly facist qualities.  My point is that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

As for distribution of wealth, you said socialism is a system where wealth is distributed equally, but Soviet communism is where the government takes earned wealth and redistributes it.  Unless your brand of socialism has a mechanism for distributing wealth other than the government, then there is no meaningful distinction between the two terms.  Is the wealth equally distributed by magic fairy dust?  If your using either a progressive income tax or social welfare programs to redistribute te wealth, your no different in nature than the Soviets at least the way you've set the question up.

The extreme wing of the Republican Party displays fascist qualities. Now does that make them fascist? I don't know. Maybe. And it's not my arbitrary definition, its Oxford's arbitrary definition.

Soviet communism didn't work, because a few power hungry groups took control of the system and hoarded all of the money for themselves, and that's why socialism doesn't work. Human Nature. I have no brand of socialism. I have no idea where you got that.

I'm not saying that all Republicans are Fascist. I know some really decent, moderate Republicans. But the extreme wing, which displays fascist tendancies, has taken control of the party has turned it into what it is.

I also admit that the extreme wing of the Democratic Party displays socialist tendancies, but we control our extremists. Of course most Republicans are too stupid to know what pure socialism is. Giving a little money to the poor is not socialist, it's human. Helping the disadvantaged is human. And if you call that socialist, than you are truly a simple minded creature.

Your problem is that you don't know that the money made in this country by our so called free market system is made by most corporate enterprises and very little is made by the individual investor.

[J.R. Brown]

Oh yeah, everyday I wear my millitary uniform, salute the Swatstika with a stiff arm, and sing "Deutchland Uber Alles" with great vigor. I am a looking forward to April 20th, David Duke and I are going to celebrate Hitler's Brithday by jeering some rabbis.

What a stupid question.

You're an idiot. I didn't say you were a Nazi. Read the definition. It's a definition of the political ideology of fascism not Nazism.

[Rob]

How about throwing Arab-Americans into camps without charging them with a crime right along with criminal terrorists just because they are Arab. Suppression of African-American voters in Florida to gain control. Tearing down the Judiciary with false conspiracy theories.

It's hilarious to hear you accuse the opposition of making up "false conspiracy theories" right after you spew a bunch of conspiracy garbage.

[PBrunsel]

Oh yeah, everyday I wear my millitary uniform, salute the Swatstika with a stiff arm, and sing "Deutchland Uber Alles" with great vigor. I am a looking forward to April 20th, David Duke and I are going to celebrate Hitler's Brithday by jeering some rabbis.

What a stupid question.

You're an idiot. I didn't say you were a Nazi. Read the definition. It's a definition of the political ideology of fascism not Nazism.

I was making a joke, so one ever understand humor anymore.

[BTW, you are the first person on record to have the nerve to call me an idiot, though mnay have thought that. ]

[Gabu]

[BTW, you are the first person on record to have the nerve to call me an idiot, though mnay have thought that. ]

I know I have!

(Just kidding.)

[J.R. Brown]

How about throwing Arab-Americans into camps without charging them with a crime right along with criminal terrorists just because they are Arab. Suppression of African-American voters in Florida to gain control. Tearing down the Judiciary with false conspiracy theories.

It's hilarious to hear you accuse the opposition of making up "false conspiracy theories" right after you spew a bunch of conspiracy garbage.

Umm that's not a conspiracy theory, it's a real conspiracy. I would recommend watching a couple of documentaries. Unprecedented and Unconstitutional. These documentaries actually give facts to back up their claims of conspiracy.

[dazzleman]

The extreme wing of the Republican Party displays fascist qualities. Now does that make them fascist? I don't know. Maybe. And it's not my arbitrary definition, its Oxford's arbitrary definition.

Soviet communism didn't work, because a few power hungry groups took control of the system and hoarded all of the money for themselves, and that's why socialism doesn't work. Human Nature. I have no brand of socialism. I have no idea where you got that.

I'm not saying that all Republicans are Fascist. I know some really decent, moderate Republicans. But the extreme wing, which displays fascist tendancies, has taken control of the party has turned it into what it is.

I also admit that the extreme wing of the Democratic Party displays socialist tendancies, but we control our extremists. Of course most Republicans are too stupid to know what pure socialism is. Giving a little money to the poor is not socialist, it's human. Helping the disadvantaged is human. And if you call that socialist, than you are truly a simple minded creature.

Your problem is that you don't know that the money made in this country by our so called free market system is made by most corporate enterprises and very little is made by the individual investor.

I'm glad you've explained it all for us stupid ignorant Republicans.  I feel I understand it so much better now.

I don't know where you get the idea that the Democratic party controls its extremists.  Clinton did, but he's been gone a while now.  You have nutcases like Michael Moore and George Soros totally out of control.  And as for your definitions of fascism, the extremist Democrats exhibit all of them, no different from extremist Republicans.

[dazzleman]

How about throwing Arab-Americans into camps without charging them with a crime right along with criminal terrorists just because they are Arab. Suppression of African-American voters in Florida to gain control. Tearing down the Judiciary with false conspiracy theories.

It's hilarious to hear you accuse the opposition of making up "false conspiracy theories" right after you spew a bunch of conspiracy garbage.

Umm that's not a conspiracy theory, it's a real conspiracy.

Both parties are running "conspiracies" to get what they want.  It's called politics.  Democrats have run, and are running, plenty of "conspiracies" to get what they want.  You have a very one-sided view of things.

[J.R. Brown]

The extreme wing of the Republican Party displays fascist qualities. Now does that make them fascist? I don't know. Maybe. And it's not my arbitrary definition, its Oxford's arbitrary definition.

Soviet communism didn't work, because a few power hungry groups took control of the system and hoarded all of the money for themselves, and that's why socialism doesn't work. Human Nature. I have no brand of socialism. I have no idea where you got that.

I'm not saying that all Republicans are Fascist. I know some really decent, moderate Republicans. But the extreme wing, which displays fascist tendancies, has taken control of the party has turned it into what it is.

I also admit that the extreme wing of the Democratic Party displays socialist tendancies, but we control our extremists. Of course most Republicans are too stupid to know what pure socialism is. Giving a little money to the poor is not socialist, it's human. Helping the disadvantaged is human. And if you call that socialist, than you are truly a simple minded creature.

Your problem is that you don't know that the money made in this country by our so called free market system is made by most corporate enterprises and very little is made by the individual investor.

I'm glad you've explained it all for us stupid ignorant Republicans.  I feel I understand it so much better now.

I don't know where you get the idea that the Democratic party controls its extremists.  Clinton did, but he's been gone a while now.  You have nutcases like Michael Moore and George Soros totally out of control.  And as for your definitions of fascism, the extremist Democrats exhibit all of them, no different from extremist Republicans.

Read a book, it's not my definition.

[Rob]

How about throwing Arab-Americans into camps without charging them with a crime right along with criminal terrorists just because they are Arab. Suppression of African-American voters in Florida to gain control. Tearing down the Judiciary with false conspiracy theories.

It's hilarious to hear you accuse the opposition of making up "false conspiracy theories" right after you spew a bunch of conspiracy garbage.

Umm that's not a conspiracy theory, it's a real conspiracy.

LOL, you're a stereotypical raving conspiracy theorist liberal. Care to share some more of your... um... "interesting" ideas?

[J.R. Brown]

Oh yeah, everyday I wear my millitary uniform, salute the Swatstika with a stiff arm, and sing "Deutchland Uber Alles" with great vigor. I am a looking forward to April 20th, David Duke and I are going to celebrate Hitler's Brithday by jeering some rabbis.

What a stupid question.

You're an idiot. I didn't say you were a Nazi. Read the definition. It's a definition of the political ideology of fascism not Nazism.

I was making a joke, so one ever understand humor anymore.

[BTW, you are the first person on record to have the nerve to call me an idiot, though mnay have thought that. ]

I'm the only one who's had the nerve to call you an idiot? Who the hell do you think you are, some kind of accomplished journalist?

[J.R. Brown]

How about throwing Arab-Americans into camps without charging them with a crime right along with criminal terrorists just because they are Arab. Suppression of African-American voters in Florida to gain control. Tearing down the Judiciary with false conspiracy theories.

It's hilarious to hear you accuse the opposition of making up "false conspiracy theories" right after you spew a bunch of conspiracy garbage.

Umm that's not a conspiracy theory, it's a real conspiracy.

LOL, you're a stereotypical raving conspiracy theorist liberal. Care to share some more of your... um... "interesting" ideas?

If you don't think sh**t goes on behind our backs like this, you're just a naive child. We are being manipulated on a regular basis by the media, politicians and interest groups. Theories aren't usually based on facts.

[PBrunsel]

Oh yeah, everyday I wear my millitary uniform, salute the Swatstika with a stiff arm, and sing "Deutchland Uber Alles" with great vigor. I am a looking forward to April 20th, David Duke and I are going to celebrate Hitler's Brithday by jeering some rabbis.

What a stupid question.

You're an idiot. I didn't say you were a Nazi. Read the definition. It's a definition of the political ideology of fascism not Nazism.

I was making a joke, so one ever understand humor anymore.

[BTW, you are the first person on record to have the nerve to call me an idiot, though mnay have thought that. ]

I'm the only one who's had the nerve to call you an idiot? Who the hell do you think you are, some kind of accomplished journalist?

No, but I am somewhat respected at this forum as a pretty keen historian and somewhat nice guy [if not a guy who can not tell jokes]. And I met no offense by "the nerve" I just couldn't think of a better word. I mean you have been the first person to actually teel it as it is to me when I am being an "idiot." I'm sure I am one a lot.

[Rob]

I'm not going to waste my time watching some worthless Michael Moore-type garbage.

[J.R. Brown]

Oh yeah, everyday I wear my millitary uniform, salute the Swatstika with a stiff arm, and sing "Deutchland Uber Alles" with great vigor. I am a looking forward to April 20th, David Duke and I are going to celebrate Hitler's Brithday by jeering some rabbis.

What a stupid question.

You're an idiot. I didn't say you were a Nazi. Read the definition. It's a definition of the political ideology of fascism not Nazism.

I was making a joke, so one ever understand humor anymore.

[BTW, you are the first person on record to have the nerve to call me an idiot, though mnay have thought that. ]

I'm the only one who's had the nerve to call you an idiot? Who the hell do you think you are, some kind of accomplished journalist?

No, but I am somewhat respected at this forum as a pretty keen historian and somewhat nice guy [if not a guy who can not tell jokes]. And I met no offense by "the nerve" I just couldn't think of a better word. I mean you have been the first person to actually teel it as it is to me when I am being an "idiot." I'm sure I am one a lot.

I know I am almost all of the time. I appologize for calling you an idiot.

[J.R. Brown]

I'm not going to waste my time watching some worthless Michael Moore-type garbage.

It's not Michael Moore type garbage. Michael Moore's an idiot.

[PBrunsel]

I know I am almost all of the time. I appologize for calling you an idiot.

No need to appologize, I was the one who took your thread out of context to attempt at humor.

[dazzleman]

If you don't think sh**t goes on behind our backs like this, you're just a naive child. We are being manipulated on a regular basis by the media, politicians and interest groups. Theories aren't usually based on facts.

Politics is manipulation of the masses.  Always has been.  Both parties do it, and right now, the Republicans are simply doing it more successfully than the Democrats, by a small margin.  But that doesn't mean the Democrats aren't doing it.

You seem a little paranoid with all your conspiracy and manipulation theories.  Well informed people are much more difficult to manipulate than ignorant ones.

[J.R. Brown]

If you don't think sh**t goes on behind our backs like this, you're just a naive child. We are being manipulated on a regular basis by the media, politicians and interest groups. Theories aren't usually based on facts.

Politics is manipulation of the masses.  Always has been.  Both parties do it, and right now, the Republicans are simply doing it more successfully than the Democrats, by a small margin.  But that doesn't mean the Democrats aren't doing it.

You seem a little paranoid with all your conspiracy and manipulation theories.  Well informed people are much more difficult to manipulate than ignorant ones.

Questioning the government is not paranoia, it's healthy dissent.

[John Dibble]

If you don't think sh**t goes on behind our backs like this, you're just a naive child. We are being manipulated on a regular basis by the media, politicians and interest groups. Theories aren't usually based on facts.

Politics is manipulation of the masses.  Always has been.  Both parties do it, and right now, the Republicans are simply doing it more successfully than the Democrats, by a small margin.  But that doesn't mean the Democrats aren't doing it.

You seem a little paranoid with all your conspiracy and manipulation theories.  Well informed people are much more difficult to manipulate than ignorant ones.

Questioning the government is not paranoia, it's healthy dissent.

There's a difference between questioning and being paranoid. You are nearer to the latter from what I can tell.

[J.R. Brown]

If you don't think sh**t goes on behind our backs like this, you're just a naive child. We are being manipulated on a regular basis by the media, politicians and interest groups. Theories aren't usually based on facts.

Politics is manipulation of the masses.  Always has been.  Both parties do it, and right now, the Republicans are simply doing it more successfully than the Democrats, by a small margin.  But that doesn't mean the Democrats aren't doing it.

You seem a little paranoid with all your conspiracy and manipulation theories.  Well informed people are much more difficult to manipulate than ignorant ones.

Questioning the government is not paranoia, it's healthy dissent.

There's a difference between questioning and being paranoid. You are nearer to the latter from what I can tell.

You're probably right. When I get going, man, I just can't stop. I don't really think the government is out to get me or anything like that, but there is a lot of bad sh**t that's gone down in the past without our knowledge.

Just think if no one would have found out about Watergate, and it was just some rumor floating around on the internet 30 years later like the Kennedy assassination. That would probably be called paranoia. Not probably, it would be called paranoia.

[John Dibble]

If you don't think sh**t goes on behind our backs like this, you're just a naive child. We are being manipulated on a regular basis by the media, politicians and interest groups. Theories aren't usually based on facts.

Politics is manipulation of the masses.  Always has been.  Both parties do it, and right now, the Republicans are simply doing it more successfully than the Democrats, by a small margin.  But that doesn't mean the Democrats aren't doing it.

You seem a little paranoid with all your conspiracy and manipulation theories.  Well informed people are much more difficult to manipulate than ignorant ones.

Questioning the government is not paranoia, it's healthy dissent.

There's a difference between questioning and being paranoid. You are nearer to the latter from what I can tell.

You're probably right. When I get going, man, I just can't stop. I don't really think the government is out to get me or anything like that, but there is a lot of bad sh**t that's gone down in the past without our knowledge.

Just think if no one would have found out about Watergate, and it was just some rumor floating around on the internet 30 years later like the Kennedy assassination. That would probably be called paranoia. Not probably, it would be called paranoia.

Oh, sure, of course. But just remember, I'm a Libertarian - we're the ones who're always questioning the government no matter who's in charge. If we think you're paranoid, you've got a problem.

[dazzleman]

You're probably right. When I get going, man, I just can't stop. I don't really think the government is out to get me or anything like that, but there is a lot of bad sh**t that's gone down in the past without our knowledge.

Just think if no one would have found out about Watergate, and it was just some rumor floating around on the internet 30 years later like the Kennedy assassination. That would probably be called paranoia. Not probably, it would be called paranoia.

Dude, Watergate is nothing compared to some of the other stuff that has gone down over the decades.

There is stuff we don't know about going on all the time, and there's no point in getting all crazy about it.  It happens with both parties, so it's really not a partisan thing.  I think the president who had the most secretive and dishonest stuff going on, in recent memory, was Lyndon Johnson.  FDR was also a master of manipulation, using the FBI and the IRS to go after his political enemies, and stuff like that.  Eisenhower was big on using the CIA for clandestine operations deemed to be in the national interest.

Some of it is more mundane, like the dishonest deals cut with people in Congress to get them to vote for bills that they should be voting for anyway.  There are all sorts of under the table deals.

The media has a great deal of power, through their ability to decide what to emphasize and what to ignore.  While the mainstream media since the 1940s or 1950s was liberal, alternative media sources that offer other points of view have sprung up in the last 10 years, and the internet has diluted the power that the mainstream media once had.

I think you've gotten caught up in trying to justify academic and impractical definitions of a deadly philosophy, and that's really irrelevant.  People who are well-informed about politics know fascism when they see it, and we don't have it here in any big way, from either party.  We are very fortunate of that.

The bottom line is that we have to trust our leaders to a certain extent.  We can't worry about every detail, but we have to look at the big picture.  In a healthy democracy, large minorities will have voted against any president or congress that is in power.  We consider 60% of the vote a landslide, but that still means that 40% voted the other way.  And that's in a landslide situation, which we haven't had for quite some time.  The point is that at any given time, there will be multitudes of people who voted against whoever is in office, and we all get our turn at voting for losers.  You just need to get a longer term perspective and learn to live with it, and remember that even if the person you voted against is in office, he's still your leader and your president for his term, like it or not.

[skybridge]

Tell me if this doesn't sound like the extreme right wing of the Republican Party, which has control of the party right now.

This is from the Oxford Dictionary of Politics.

Genuinley fascist ideologies are:
MONIST: based upon the notion that there are fundamental and basic truths about humanity and the environment which do not admit to question.

SIMPLISTIC: In the sense of ascribing complex phenomena to single causes and advancing single remedies.

FUNDAMENTALIST: Involving a division of the world into 'good' and 'bad' with nothing in between.

CONSPIRATORIAL: predicated on the existence of a secret world-wide (in our case nationwide liberal) conspiracy by a hostile group seeking to manipulate the masses to achieve and/or maintain a dominant position.

Yes.