“Fascism: an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization. (in general use) extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practice.” Oxford English Dictionary.
Fascism originated in Italy during WWI and spread throughout Europe with the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany. Great Britain struggled against Germany with awful losses until the U.S. intervened after Pearl Harbor. German fascism was destroyed, but fascism is rising in Europe again. It is a cancer of fear.
Americans have never believed we could succumb to fascism with our long traditions of liberal democratic institutions enshrined in our Constitution—free speech, freedom of the press and a broad commitment to social justice. We believe with certainty that our relative prosperity has insulated us from fascism. But a review of how fascism has taken hold in Europe gives us a glimpse of how it is rising here. Hallmarks of fascism are a cult of personality around an authoritarian leader, suppression of free speech and the press and the consolidation of power in an oligarchic economy. Trumpism is becoming fascism.
Trump’s appeal to nativism and nationalism is the siren song of fascism. His success in securing the adulation of followers through lies and blatant mythology exploits the fears of Americans who see the world changing beyond their control.
Hitler’s rise to power was fueled by economic collapse and international humiliation. Trump’s rise is based on the myth of “Making America Great Again,” the transformation to a global and automated economy and the demonization of establishment institutions that embody the checks and balances of our governing system. Hitler succeeded because the Establishment believed they could control him rather than oppose him. It is ominous to see mainstream Republicans embrace Trump because of his populism. Soon, after he is inaugurated, there will be an onslaught of policies that reverse the security of millions of Americans, many who either have been disenfranchised from the electorate, who voted for Trump or “voted for someone else,” never believing Trump could win the Presidency.
There will be shrill and forceful opposition to Trumpism from the Left and Mainstream Media, but both will be marginalized by Trump’s call for their suppression and the acquiescence of “moderates.” The Tea Party movement that replaced moderate Republicans with radical ideologues laid the groundwork for Trump. It will be the challenge to these same moderates to take back their Party from Trump and the Tea Party.
When Trump ascends to power each of us must ask, where were you?
by Tim Urban
Photo via Gage Skidmore
Posted 12/9/16
14 Comments on "With Trump, Fascism Rises In America"
This fear and hyperbole of the left has been very entertaining since the election, but isn’t very useful in uniting the country after 4 years of Obama’s divisiveness.
Unite the country around what principles? Nativism,
Xenophobia, Racism?
Isn’t that what Hillary Clinton offered in her campaign? The siren song from Democrats is anyone who disagrees with us is a racist? She promoted the idea that people should vote for her because she was female, that is pure sexism. The demographic evidence is that D’s simply cannot accept they have no idea what Americans want.
Republicans are such deplorable people. They actually believe that the main responsibility of the federal government is to protect America from its enemies, both foreign and domestic. They believe that America should be governed in a manner consistent with the Constitution. And worse yet, they believe we are a representative republic, rather than a democracy. The Constitution was actually written to protect minorities from oppression by the majority. What an honorable concept.
Republicans are deplorable. They gave no principles. They believe in in their party and their own self -aggrandizement. Any party that would support ignorant, corrupt, racist Trump us disgraceful. Any candidate who said what Trump said, “slimed” his opponents left and right, and has displayed the misogyny and sexual perversion Trump had displayed deserves ignominy not the presidency of the US. Let us hope Trump and the Republican Party will get their just dues.
Laraine your comment reveals that you live in the dark and should come in the light and see what is really happening in the world. Henry revealed the Republican principles quite accurately.
Mr. Wulff –
I agree except that you may have inadvertently turned around your phrase about “representative republic” and “democracy.” The US is the former, not the latter, at least not a pure democracy where the majority rules on everything. That is not to say that we are not a form of democracy, too. If you did not misspeak but think that you were correct, Google “Democracy_vs_Republic.” I might add that Donald Trump and the Republicans are very glad that we are a representative republic, because it enabled him to lose the popular vote and win the election where our representative electors are the ones who will elect him.
All of the argument being bounced back and forth between Republicans and Democrats is playing right into the hands of Donny. Seriously, this is a strategy of divide and conquer with the results of the 2016 election showing the results. Until we the people stand together, regardless of political affiliation, Wall Street will always trump the needs of Main Street. Or in other words, the wishes of a few will over ride the needs of many.
Donald Trump is one of the few voicing concern over the lost of jobs overseas. One has to ask where the D’s are on sending jobs overseas, because that is what turned the election in WI, MI, OH and PA. Hillary didn’t give a hoot about American jobs. She had a private position on every issue that was different than what she told us.
Benito Mussolini:??
“Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.”
Donnie will be the new evil in the world, with his finger on the nuclear code. Fascism is here to stay as democracy is ultimately accepted as vanquished by those that feel marginalized. I will never help Donnie or his gaggle of goons for they do not represent the majority if Americans who are waking up to ask themselves: “What did I do.” As the national resolve crumbles, loyalty and faith in the destroyed system will eat away at the fabric of the state for Iowa was one of the states that gave precedence to the few, gave into the emerging plutocracy, and thumbed its collective nose at the poor, the dying middle class, and the believe in diversity and individual dignity. Evangelicals who see their religion as the only true faith, and who bark that their lifestyle must be code for all people, have destroyed what once was a respectable state and elevated trumpism and its brand of selective hate that echoes what was done in the Third Reich to dissenters, opposers, and the common man who did not share the same political philosophy, sexual orientation, national identity, religion, etc. I am ashamed of Iowa–the state I was born in more than 70 years ago, as it now is among the corrupt plutocratic regimes of Alabama, Indiana, Missippi, etc.
And how is it that a seemingly substantial number of legislators are in the group that is voting to bolster the plutocrats? I would wager that hardly any legislator pays what anyone would think are too high taxes . . . that they don’t even know people who anyone would believe are paying too high taxes. Yet, they want to reduce taxes and eliminate services to their own disadvantage and the disadvantage of their family and friends and neighbors. This mentality has been on the increase since at least the late 60’s, and I don’t get it.
You can always do the honorable thing and leave the county Dr. We can handle it from here. We don’t need a bunch of elites telling us how to run the country. We respect the First Amendment and limited government as defined by American history. We know how American became great and how to do it again.
We’re not playing ostrich. We’re not hiding from the truth. We’re not burning cars, rioting and name-calling. Leave that to leftists and the D’s.
Iowa is ashamed of you for conflating things completely out of proportion with the facts. Reminds me of George Orwell and the book “1984” where the thought police controlled what people could think.
“When Trump ascends to power each of us must ask, where were you?”
The real question is where has the Democratic Party been?
– When millions of manufacturing jobs went overseas?
– Oh yeah, NAFTA and TPP and other trade deals are a primary factor.
– D’s economic policy makes America uncompetitive in the world markets. They give up good living wage jobs to promote changing the world outside the US.
– Income inequality and the stock market have soared under President Obama.
– America is uncompetitive because our corporate tax rates are among the highest in the world. Government regulation in the US eats up businesses and prevents job growth.
– D’s support massive illegal immigration holding down wages and eating up local budgets for services.
Trump became a Republican because Democrats practices hollowing out the core of America and giving it away to people who are not citizens.