[Tono]

Another interesting blog I think worth sharing.

Once again frustration at the success of openly dishonest communication has forced me to write. This time I will explain how our entire political system is a sham.

First, some definitions. They all come from Webster. Remember them when I use these terms later.
Webster's definition of Liberalism:
a: a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market, and the gold standard
b : a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties
Webster's definition of Conservatism:
a : disposition in politics to preserve what is established
b : a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change
c: the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change
Webster's definition of Socialism:
a: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
b : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property
c : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
Webster's definition of Fascism:
a: a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
b: a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control

Lie #1: We have a two-party system.
There are many political parties in America, but only two get press. The media assists the Dems and Reps because they get kickbacks and influence - just like any other lobbyist group. The truth is that there are at least three other serious parties that have valuable positions worth arguing: Libertarians, The Green Party and the Independent Party. While I don't agree much with the Greens or Indes, I am a firm believer that their perspectives add to our collective whole as a nation.
But our "two-party system" won't let them in the door. The Dems and Reps lock 3rd parties out of debates (even arresting 3rd party candidates that show up to debates under court orders!), they sabotage attempts to get 3rd party candidates on state ballots and worst of all: They have insidiously modified America's understanding of political definitions. To me, this is the smartest, and most evil, trick played on Americans by Americans. If one does not know the rules of the game, one cannot possibly win - And the Reps and Dems have collaborated to blur the lines to such as extent that all but the most studious voters cannot really understand who they are voting for.
The key word in "two-party system" is system! Just like mafia Dons, the Reps and Dems have territories (both ideological and physical) that they may squabble over, but they will not hesitate to collaborate in preventing anyone new from getting a meaningful foothold in the game. Is this the government you want to have? Are these the people you want to support?

Lie #2: Democrats are liberals.
First, let me remind you that "Democrat" is a political party, and "liberal" is a political ideology. One does NOT necessarily determine the other. Democrats are commonly thought of as pushing a liberal agenda, but are in fact more similar to fascists (yes, like the Nazis). As this is no doubt a shocking statement, I remind you to refer back to the definitions above. The following are commonly known Democratic Party platforms and their true definition match:
Political Correctness = Fascist: national stability placed above the individual right of expression/severe social regimentation. Race placed above the individual's right to free, peaceful expression.
Socialized heath care = Sounds socialist, but is in fact Fascist: a centralized autocratic government, severe economic and social regimentation. A true "socialist" system would in fact be entirely state run without any privatization from insurance providers to doctors.
Social Security = Sounds socialist, but is in fact Fascist: a centralized autocratic government, severe economic and social regimentation. Again, in a true "socialist" system you would not get retirement payments, as all property belongs to the state.
Minimum Wage laws = Fascist: severe economic regimentation, restricting free trade and negotiations of labor.
Tax increases/fighting against tax reduction = Conservative Fascism: the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change, stressing established institutions, severe economic regimentation, preference of regimentation over invention.
Arresting 3rd party candidates for attempting to serve a summons under court orders to do so = Fascist: Forcible suppression of opposition.
Please note: I am not saying any of these party platforms are wrong, that's not the purpose of this essay, I am simply proving that Democrats are not liberal - and are therefore lying to their constituency.


Lie #3: Republicans are conservative.
Once again, a reminder, "Republican" is a political party, and "conservative" is a political ideology. One does NOT necessarily determine the other. Republican's throw the word conservative around a lot, but in reality they are only morally conservative. Economically, and even socially they can be very liberal; and their security measures tend toward Fascism (again, look at the definitions). The following are commonly known Republican Party platforms and their true definition match:
Homeland Security Act/Patriot Act = Fascist: tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control.
Tax reduction, IRS reform = Liberal: a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market.
Right to bear arms = Liberal: a political philosophy based on the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties.
Minimizing increases in minimum wage = Liberal: a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market.
Anti-Political Correctness = Liberal: a political philosophy based on the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties.
Arresting 3rd party candidates for attempting to serve a summons under court orders to do so = Fascist: Forcible suppression of opposition.
Please note: I am not saying any of these party platforms are wrong, that's not the purpose of this essay, I am simply proving that Republicans are not truly conservative - and are therefore lying to their constituency.

Lie #4: Americans are stupid and can't think for themselves. They must be cajoled, brainwashed, misinformed, bribed or threatened into choosing what's "best for them."
If you've read this far you've already proven the fallacy of lie #4. Thank you.

[steauengeglase]

Um, the last time I check there really haven't been that many fascist states in the history of the world.

Well, how can I say it. I can remember a time in junior high and high school when I had thoughts like that; mostly in the first Clinton administration. I can remember reading a strong measure of Ayn Rand and listening to a lot of talk radio. I was sure that political correctness was simply a variant of new-speak and that all that was wrong and unholy was being beamed down from the Clinton administration. I was also freaked out by the sexual harrasment lawsuits of the 90s (and I was some how sure that it was all a big conspiracy to keep me from getting laid). It was really a fucked up time for growing up; because eveyone seemed to have a fetish for being more fucked up than anyone else (but isin't it always?). Also the AFT was doing a lot of fucked up stuff out west.

Years passed and the old president went and a new one came. One party lost favor and the other rose to power. School boards are still telling teachers what they can and cannot say. Teens were still having sex. I still have my disdain for authority and the military-industrial complex is doing fucked up things in the east.

The more things change the more they stay the same.

[Redd]

Originally Posted by steauengeglase

Um, the last time I check there really haven't been that many fascist states in the history of the world.

Not very many at all...

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Fascism as an international phenomenon
It is often a matter of dispute whether a certain government is to be characterized as fascist, authoritarian, totalitarian, or just a plain police state. Regimes that are alleged to have been either fascist or sympathetic to fascism include:

Austria (1933-1938) - Austro-fascism: Dollfuß dissolved parliament and established a clerical-fascist dictatorship which lasted until Austria was incorporated into Germany through the Anschluss. Dollfuß's idea of a "Ständestaat" was borrowed from Mussolini.

Italy (1922-1943) - The first fascist country, it was ruled by Benito Mussolini (Il Duce) until Mussolini was captured during the Allied invasion. Mussolini was rescued from house arrest by German troops, and set up a short lived puppet state in northern Italy under the protection of the German army.

Germany (1933-1945) - Ruled by the Nazi movement of Adolf Hitler (der Führer). In the terminology of the Allies, Nazi Germany was as their chief enemy the mightiest and best-known fascist state. See above for a discussion on the differences and similarities between Nazism and fascism.

Spain (1936-1975) - After the 1936 arrest and execution of its founder José Antonio Primo de Rivera during the Spanish Civil War, the fascist Falange Española Party was led by Generalissimo Francisco Franco, who became known as El Caudillo, the undisputed leader of the Nationalist side in the war, and, after victory, head of state until his death over 35 years later.

Portugal (1932-1968) - Although less restrictive than the Italian, German and Spanish regimes, the Estado Novo party of António de Oliveira Salazar was quasi-fascist.

Greece - Joannis Metaxas' 1936 to 1941 dictatorship was not particularly ideological in nature, and might hence be characterized as authoritarian rather than fascist. The same can be argued regarding Colonel George Papadopoulos' 1967 to 1974 military dictatorship, which was supported by the United States.

Brazil (1937-1945) - Many historians have argued that Brazil's Estado Novo under Getulio Vargas was a Brazilian variant of the continental fascist regimes. For a period of time, Vargas' regime was aligned with Plínio Salgado's Integralist Party, Brazil's fascist movement.

Belgium (1939-1945) - The violent Rexist movement and the Vlaamsch-Nationaal Verbond party achieved some electoral success in the 1930s. Many of its members assisted the Nazi occupation during World War II. The Verdinaso movement, too, can be considered fascist. Its leader, Joris Van Severen, was killed before the Nazi occupation. Some of its adepts collaborated, but others joined the resistance.

Slovakia (1939-1944) - The Slovak People's Party was a quasi-fascist nationalist movement associated with the Roman Catholic Church. Founded by Father Andrej Hlinka, his successor Monsignor Jozef Tiso became the Nazis' quisling in a nominally independent Slovakia.

France (1940-1944) - The Vichy regime of Philippe Pétain, established following France's defeat by Germany, collaborated with the Nazis, including in the death of 65,000 French Jews.

Romania (1940-1944) - The violent Iron Guard took power when Ion Antonescu forced King Carol II to abdicate. The fascist regime ended after Soviet troops entered the country.

Croatia (1941-1945) - Poglavnik Ante Pavelić, leader of the infamous Ustaše movement, came to power in 1941 as the Croatian puppet leader under the control of Nazi Germany.

Norway (1943-1945) - Vidkun Quisling had staged a coup d'état during the German invasion on April 9th, 1940. This first government was replaced by a Nazi puppet government under his leadership from February 1st, 1943. His party had never had any substantial support in Norway.

Hungary (1944-1945) - Ferenc Szálasi headed the extremist Arrow Cross party. In 1944, with German support, he replaced Admiral Miklós Horthy as Head of State; following Horthy's attempt to have Hungary change sides.

Argentina (1946-1955 and 1973-1974) - Juan Perón admired Mussolini and established his own pseudo-fascist regime. After he died, his third wife and vice-president Isabel Perón was deposed by a military junta.

South Africa (1948-1994) - Many scholars have labelled the apartheid system built by Malan and Verwoerd as a type of fascism.

Rhodesia (1965-1978) - The racial segregation system by Ian Smith is similarly considered by some to be a form of fascism.

Lebanon (1982-1988) - The right wing Christian Phalangist Party, backed by its own private army and inspired by the Spanish Falangists, was nominally in power in the country during the 1980s but had limited authority over the highly factionalised state, two-thirds of which was occupied by Israeli and Syrian troops. Phalangists are alleged to have carried out the Sabra and Shatila Massacre in 1982.

Fascism and the Roman Catholic Church

Another controversial topic is the relationship between fascist movements and the Roman Catholic Church. As mentioned above, Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum anticipated much of the doctrine that became known as fascism. Forty years later, the corporatist tendencies of Rerum Novarum were underscored by Pope Pius XI's May 25, 1931 encyclical Quadragesimo Anno which restated the hostility of Rerum Novarum to both unbridled competition and class struggle.

In the early 1920s, the Catholic party in Italy (Partito Popolare) was in the process of forming a coalition with the Reform Party that could have stabilized Italian politics and thwarted Mussolini's projected coup. On October 2, 1922, Pope Pius XI circulated a letter ordering clergy not to identify themselves with the Partito Popolare, but to remain neutral, an act that undercut the party and its alliance against Mussolini. Following Mussolini's rise to power, the Vatican's Secretary of State met Il Duce in early 1923 and agreed to dissolve the Partito Popolare, which Mussolini saw as obstacle to fascist rule. In exchange, the fascists made guarantees regarding Catholic education and institutions.

In 1924, following the murder of the leader of the Socialist Party by fascists, the Partito Popolare joined with the Socialist Party in demanding that the King dismiss Mussolini as Prime Minister, and stated their willingness to form a coalition government. Pius XI responded by warning against any coalition between Catholics and socialists. The Vatican ordered all priests to resign from the Partito Popolare and from any positions they held in it. This led to the party's disintegration in rural areas where it relied on clerical assistance.

The Vatican subsequently established Catholic Action as a non-political lay organization under the direct control of bishops. The organization was forbidden by the Vatican to participate in politics, and thus was not permitted to oppose the fascist regime. Pius XI ordered all Catholics to join Catholic Action. This resulted in hundreds of thousands of Catholics withdrawing from the Partito Popolare, and joining the apolitical Catholic Action. This caused the Catholic Party's final collapse. [1]

When Mussolini ordered the closure of Catholic Action in May 1931, Pius XI issued an encyclical, Non abbiamo bisogno. This document stated the Catholic Church's opposition to the dissolution, and argued that the order "unmasked the 'pagan' intentions of the Fascist state". Under international pressure, Mussolini decided to compromise, and Catholic Action was saved.

Aside from doctrinal similarities, the relationship between the Church and fascist movements in various countries has been very close. For example, in Slovakia, the fascist dictator was a Catholic monsignor. In Croatia, the fascist Ustashe identified itself as a Catholic movement. These regimes have been seen as examples of clerical fascism. (see also Involvement of Croatian Catholic clergy with the Ustasa regime)

The Vichy regime in France was also deeply influenced by the reactionary Catholic ideology of the Action Française. Conversely, many Catholic priests were persecuted under the Nazi regime, and many Catholic laypeople and clergy played notable roles in sheltering Jews during the Holocaust.

For a further exploration of the relationship between Catholicism and Fascism, see the article Roman Catholicism's links with political authorities.