Seldom have we been treated to a more satisfying performance than that of Keith Olberman last evening. In his closing segment, Keith addressed Rumsfeld's speech to the American Legion in which the Secretary "impugn(ed) the morality or intelligence -- indeed, the loyalty -- of the majority of Americans". Rumsfeld went on to assert that our nation faces a new type of Fascism and to invoke the memory of the appeasement of the Nazis.
The irony of his statement is stark and glaring. This new Fascism he speaks of is a product of his own administration. As it has been understood since its debut in Italy prior to World War II, Fascism is the merging of Government and Corporations. More than any previous administration, Bush and company exemplify this model of government. Yet, Bush, Cheney, Rummy and Condi are currently in the midst of a PR blitz to equate Fascism with the war on terror through the constant repetition of the phrase “Islamo-fascist”.
This effort to equate Islam with Fascism is an exercise in deceptive branding that this administration has used repeatedly in the past. It is analogous to the “Clear Skies” program which increased the level of air pollution or the “Healthy Forests Initiative” which should be called “Leave no tree behind”.
Importantly, by labeling Middle Eastern radicals as Islamo-Fascists they are attempting to redefine the term to be less relevant to the form of government they have instituted. Fascism was coined by the Italian dictator, Mussolini in the 1930’s. In fact, he said it could be more accurately referred to as Corporatism. Under the Bush White House we have seen drastic increases in the number of corporate lobbyists, the amount of legislation written by corporations for corporate benefit, federal judges with a history of corporate friendly decisions and in the use of the revolving door policy between legislators and lobbyists.
It is undeniable that the Bush administration has been complicit in the corporate infiltration of government and the introduction of fascism into their governance of the country. It is also undeniable that these same corporations are notorious for their appeasement of the Nazis before, during and after World War II. Bush’s own grandfather, as managing director for Brown Brothers Harriman, was cited under the “Trading with the Enemy” act in 1942. Standard Oil (now Exxon-Mobile) , General Motors, Ford, ITT, J.P. Morgan, Guaranty Trust of New York, Bank of the City of New York, Chase National Bank and American Express were all engaged in support for the Nazis throughout the war.
The corporations most responsible not just for appeasement, but for materially and financially supporting the rise of Fascism and Nazism in Europe, are the corporations with the greatest influence in the Bush White House today. Much of the wealth of the Bush family came from the profiteering they engaged in with the enemy while our troops were engaged in battle with the same enemy.
So, Secretary Rumsfeld is correct when he says we are facing a new type of Fascism, but he lies when he attributes it to Islamic radicals. The Fascists we should most fear are the ones occupying the White House.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Complicity
After more than 5 years of the most disastrous leadership this country has ever had to endure at the hands of the most incompetent politician democracy has ever seen, the political landscape is finally ripe for change. The Democratic Party is in an advantageous position as the 2006 mid-term elections approach, yet the voices of dissent can be heard among the rank and file.
Within the party the Democrats are not agreed upon how they should proceed and opposing factions are beginning to take shape. There are those who want desperately to retake at least one, if not both houses of Congress and believe that to do so there must be no talk of vengeance against the administration. Others want equally to regain power in Congress but feel their best hope of doing so is by exposing the lies and incompetence of the Bush White House.
In my humble opinion, if it was so almighty important to investigate then impeach Clinton for what turned out to be a minor infraction, how do we fail to investigate George W. Bush for what must be seen as crimes against humanity. If you strongly disagree with this view, you may not wish to read on however, if the concept of equal justice is germane and vital in your view, to the continued health of democracy, read on.
The Starr investigation was at the insistence of the Republicans in Congress demanding answers about what they were calling the “Whitewater Scandal” before any evidence of a scandal had been discovered. The “lap dog” complicity of the press was demonstrated by the pushing of the scandal angle on the Whitewater story day after day while developing worthless leads that all wound up at the same dead end. We now know that most, if not all of the accusations and charges about the Clintons were the products of the “Arkansas Project”, an extreme radical right wing group of Neoconservatives financed by Paul Mellon Scaife. The cost to the American taxpayer was between $60 million to $80 million and lasted over six years.
Now, the same Republicans who pushed for the unnecessary, costly, wasteful and fruitless investigation of Clinton are doing everything they possibly can to prevent any investigation of the Bush administration and disgracefully, many Democrats are going along with them!
This is not a difficult decision if any consideration is given to the historical fallacy of "forgiving and forgetting" where Neoconservative operatives are involved. This is precisely the mistake made by Bill Clinton and being repeated by Hilary Clinton. A mistake that increases in severity by an order of magnitude with each occurrence.
When Clinton was elected ending the Reagan/Bush era, a decision was made not to pursue the numerous scandals and outright crimes committed by these two conservative icons in the name of the American people. Clinton felt that his best chance to obtain bipartisan support for his agenda was to allow the acts of his predecessors to go not just unpunished, but unmentioned. For this gesture Clinton was rewarded with eight years of relentless allegations and accusations of crimes and ethical misconduct that were all dreamed up by highly paid propagandists in a program known as the “Arkansas Project”.
The same divisive forces that plagued Clinton and turned otherwise thoughtful caring people into loathing scornful psychotics, are gearing up to smear and discredit any and all honorable Democrats who dare to run against them. The Rovian loyalists who so readily respond to the raw meat offered them via Limbaugh, Hannity and O’Reilly hate media are being prepared to plunder anew the Democratic lambs brought for slaughter.
Do not make the mistake of taking Republican opposition lightly because they have suffered from the Bush Presidency and numerous high profile criminal indictments within their ranks. Too many Democrats are speaking of the 2006 mid-term elections only in terms of how many seats they can win and fail to realize the potential ferocity of this caged animal. Karl Rove and his minions are in power positions because they campaigned with a “take no prisoners” mentality from the onset and are showing no indications of changing. They have employed dirty, unethical and illegal tactics to gain and keep power and they will continue to do so and worse.
Some Democrats are now saying that their party should look forward and not worry about making Republicans pay for the crimes committed during the Bush administration. That strategy didn’t work for Carter or Clinton and America has become less of a democratic nation thanks to their spinelessness.
It is probably true that Rove will attack the Democrats not by flaunting how well his party led the country but, by scaring people about the potential mayhem of having Democrats in charge. What better response to this charge than stating Republicans are afraid that when Democrats regain power they will seek justice by investigating alleged crimes of this administration and THE POSSIBLE AIDING AND ABETTING OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY BY MEMBERS OF CONGRES such as Senator Roberts of Kansas who has stonewalled any investigation of the intelligence fiasco leading up to the Iraq war.
Within the party the Democrats are not agreed upon how they should proceed and opposing factions are beginning to take shape. There are those who want desperately to retake at least one, if not both houses of Congress and believe that to do so there must be no talk of vengeance against the administration. Others want equally to regain power in Congress but feel their best hope of doing so is by exposing the lies and incompetence of the Bush White House.
In my humble opinion, if it was so almighty important to investigate then impeach Clinton for what turned out to be a minor infraction, how do we fail to investigate George W. Bush for what must be seen as crimes against humanity. If you strongly disagree with this view, you may not wish to read on however, if the concept of equal justice is germane and vital in your view, to the continued health of democracy, read on.
The Starr investigation was at the insistence of the Republicans in Congress demanding answers about what they were calling the “Whitewater Scandal” before any evidence of a scandal had been discovered. The “lap dog” complicity of the press was demonstrated by the pushing of the scandal angle on the Whitewater story day after day while developing worthless leads that all wound up at the same dead end. We now know that most, if not all of the accusations and charges about the Clintons were the products of the “Arkansas Project”, an extreme radical right wing group of Neoconservatives financed by Paul Mellon Scaife. The cost to the American taxpayer was between $60 million to $80 million and lasted over six years.
Now, the same Republicans who pushed for the unnecessary, costly, wasteful and fruitless investigation of Clinton are doing everything they possibly can to prevent any investigation of the Bush administration and disgracefully, many Democrats are going along with them!
This is not a difficult decision if any consideration is given to the historical fallacy of "forgiving and forgetting" where Neoconservative operatives are involved. This is precisely the mistake made by Bill Clinton and being repeated by Hilary Clinton. A mistake that increases in severity by an order of magnitude with each occurrence.
When Clinton was elected ending the Reagan/Bush era, a decision was made not to pursue the numerous scandals and outright crimes committed by these two conservative icons in the name of the American people. Clinton felt that his best chance to obtain bipartisan support for his agenda was to allow the acts of his predecessors to go not just unpunished, but unmentioned. For this gesture Clinton was rewarded with eight years of relentless allegations and accusations of crimes and ethical misconduct that were all dreamed up by highly paid propagandists in a program known as the “Arkansas Project”.
The same divisive forces that plagued Clinton and turned otherwise thoughtful caring people into loathing scornful psychotics, are gearing up to smear and discredit any and all honorable Democrats who dare to run against them. The Rovian loyalists who so readily respond to the raw meat offered them via Limbaugh, Hannity and O’Reilly hate media are being prepared to plunder anew the Democratic lambs brought for slaughter.
Do not make the mistake of taking Republican opposition lightly because they have suffered from the Bush Presidency and numerous high profile criminal indictments within their ranks. Too many Democrats are speaking of the 2006 mid-term elections only in terms of how many seats they can win and fail to realize the potential ferocity of this caged animal. Karl Rove and his minions are in power positions because they campaigned with a “take no prisoners” mentality from the onset and are showing no indications of changing. They have employed dirty, unethical and illegal tactics to gain and keep power and they will continue to do so and worse.
Some Democrats are now saying that their party should look forward and not worry about making Republicans pay for the crimes committed during the Bush administration. That strategy didn’t work for Carter or Clinton and America has become less of a democratic nation thanks to their spinelessness.
It is probably true that Rove will attack the Democrats not by flaunting how well his party led the country but, by scaring people about the potential mayhem of having Democrats in charge. What better response to this charge than stating Republicans are afraid that when Democrats regain power they will seek justice by investigating alleged crimes of this administration and THE POSSIBLE AIDING AND ABETTING OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY BY MEMBERS OF CONGRES such as Senator Roberts of Kansas who has stonewalled any investigation of the intelligence fiasco leading up to the Iraq war.
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