If Fascism is Gradual and not Instant, is the US almost there thanks to Bush?

Question

There are ten steps that fascist dictators take to gradually shift a democracy into a fascist regime, is there US almost there?
Here are the steps:
1. Invoke an external and internal threat. -Global War on Terror.
2. Establish Secret Prisons. - Abu Gharib
3. Develop a paramilitary force.- Blackwater
4. Surveil Ordinairy citizens. -Illegal warrantless wiretapping, opening private citizens email and mail.
5. Infiltrate citizens groups. - Anti-war groups have been infilitrated by undercover police, etc.
6. Arbitrarily detain and release citizens.
7. Target Key individuals. -Valerie Plame, Michael Moore, Dixie Chicks.
8. Restrict the press. -See: Lead up to Iraq War.
9. Cast Criticism as "espionage" and dissent as "treason." -Two words, ONE witch: Ann Coulter.
10. Subvert the rule of law. -Bush's EXCESSIVE use of "signing statements" which allow him to sign legislation into law, but HE decides which laws are enforced and which aren't.

Thoughts?

If you haven't yet, please read "The End Of America: Letter of Warning To A Young Patriot," by Naomi Wolf.

Fascism doesn't just happen overnight. It's not like when you pop in a movie and a country is suddenly oppressed as in Orwell's "1984," etc., it's a gradual shift from democracy to a fascist dictatorship. Bush and his rubberstamp Republican Congress from 2000-2006 seem to have paved the way for such a shift.

We absolutely have to go after international terrorism, but we can't keep doing so out of FEAR. Bush and co. are using FEAR to advance their agenda.
Abu Gharib wasn't a secret, but what happened there was. TORTURE. We are the UNITED STATES of AMERICA and we're BETTER than that.
Blackwater isnt' controlled by Bush, I never said it was. But they are a large militia becoming more and more capable of overthrowing foreign governments. Blackwater's men can't be prosecuted just like the SS in Nazi Germany. "The company's lawyers argue that Blackwater can't be held accountable to the Pentagon's Uniform Code of Military Justice, because its soldiers are civilians. But they can't be sued in civil court either- because they are part of the U.S. Military." (Scahill, Blackwater, xx-xxi.)That is seriously SCARY stuff.

I'm just curious, but how does my question violate Yahoo's TOS? Can you say "C-E-N-S-O-R-S-H-I-P"? I'm not afraid of your Gestapo tactics. I've done nothing wrong.

Do you REALLY believe that a fascist dictator is going to come right out and SAY "Hello, I'm a fascist dictator. I hope you enjoyed your democracy, 'cause it's over." ?

Answer 1

Once again I am amazed at the total blind loyalty that some people have to the current administration. Once again I am disheartened by the unwillingness of so many of you to admit that the current administration was a mistake. Once again I see that if persons of far right thinking are confronted with facts, they counter with hateful and often bigoted speech veiled in flag waving hysteria and call it patriotism. Well, your not patriots your loyalists, you fight on the side of the King, patriots fight on the side of the constitution

Below is a link about despotism from 1946, right after WWII from Yale University (President Bushes Alma Mater) It was put out as a lesson in democracy. It is longer than 3 minutes so it may be past the attention span of some of the more radical right.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-461990723502527420&q=despotism&total=365&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

Answer 2

People accept slavery under some delusion. In this case, the delusion is "terrorism". Yes, it's true, we were attacked by terrorists on 11 September. But the reason we were attacked was the foreign policy that was created by the same politicians who are subverting the Bill of Rights.

It's called the Hegelian Dialectic. Create the problem, and then provide the solution. The problem was terrorism, and the solution is the Police State.

Answer 3

We past that point about a week ago. Matt, get your head outta your behind, boy.......look around, or better yet, go back to sleep. It's people like you that are so apathetic that they don't care what is done until it is too late. Look at France under the Vichy government and the Netherlands under Quisling.

Answer 4

I am no fan of Bush, but from the question alone, I can say that it is impractical to propose that any dictator, even Bush, could be running a facist government if he did not acknowledge that he was running that type of government.

Answer 5

Yes, the list of abuses is too long to be a coincidence. Bush grows bolder with each appeasement by the liberal democracies, I mean, the Democrats.

Answer 6

I wonder if its worth it to take each of your accusations or just to get up off the floor from laughing so hard.

You believe there is no need to go after international terrorism
You thin Abu Grahib was a secret prison
You think Blackwater is run by Bush

I just can't go any further, have a great life.

Answer 7

I wrote a blog on that 5 days ago , it's more extensive - check it out - http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-lc2Cu843erIwY6fujsZpxHBX?p=811

Anyway yes we are on the road to Fascism .

Answer 8

My thoughts are that you have a severe mental disorder called Bush Derangement Syndrome. LDS for short. You should seriously stop drinking the cool aid of freaks like Keith Olberman, Daily Cos, and Move On......

Answer 9

interesting
hey mat its dead heads like you who let things happen
hey we just got rid of our hittler
go and torture some one mate ill make you feel better

Answer 10

I totally agree with you. The really awful thing is that Congress has let him do all these things.