Did We Set the Next Generation Up for Fascism?

[daredtowork]

We often cry "fascism" when we feel oppressed by an evil policy, but I'm talking about fascism in terms of the total delegitimization of democratic politics, and the turn to some form of arbitrary rule dressed in sham constitutional clothing.

This article made me think:
http://www.salon.com/2015/01/12/angry_rights_secret_playbook_how_it_uses_a_good_story_to_peddle_an_agenda_america_hates/

The suggestion is that Democrats (the party) "win" by becoming more "truthy" and putting slogans and heartening stories that will grab the masses before critical thinking about the real situation. Um, heil?

But that's not the only thing that's been bothering me. Has anyone else noticed that the widespread lack of trust in the mainstream media as well as government? At this point it's almost an assumption the news is either not covering the real story or its feeding us some false story paid for by our Corporate and/or Oligarchic Overlords. This leaves room for charismatic leaders with "alternative history" narratives to creep in.

The fact Congress has been perceived as "doing nothing" for YEARS is highly problematic for democracy. I don't know about anyone else, but I personally feel that NONE of my my local political representatives do anything for me - I don't interact with them at all. I am the receptacle for their spam email shakedowns for donations - that's it. My political representatives don't bother to respond when I ask for help, and they don't conduct policies that directly help people in my situation. They may in fact be potential enemies, depending on whose interests they actually serve. By the way, they are all Democrats.

When it looks like the political process does "nothing", it becomes logical to think about ways around it. Some of this emerged during the Berkeley protests. Some (supposedly "fringe&quot groups vandalized property as their way of refusing capitalism. Some protesters wanted to "overthrow" a democratically elected city Mayor. Protesters all over the country have a switched from teach-ins to marketing training: they are capturing hashtags and doing symbolic die-ins. This is all about capturing "hearts and minds", but does it ultimately lead to engagement with the political process and running the country?

Finally, there is Obama. He's finally taken the stage and being the President we've waited for all these years. I'm all for free Community College, and I hope that's not the only thing he has up his sleeve. But it worries me that he essentially waited until after all the "Congress crap" was over to go into the action. The message he is sending is the President had to go around Congress because Congress just doesn't do anything and/or mucks things up - i.e. the politics gets in the way.

The democracy gets in the way.

We have taught the next generation that social change happens by media manipulation of the masses and getting around "the politics" of Congress. We have taught them that democracy gets in the way.

That's a cold, bleak wind blowing.

[nichomachus]

1. Fascism is alive and well in the US already

It's an "inverted fascism," but fascism nonetheless.

We have the illusion of democracy, in which you get to vote for one of two candidates pre-approved by the Corporatocracy. Congress and the courts are totally under corporate control.

We don't need violent forces in the street to control the people, because Americans have been well-trained to police themselves. When someone does step out of line, the corporate police just gun them down -- and are held to no accountability.

[daredtowork]

3. That's become a matter of common knowledge now

So what does that say to the next generation about the political process? Does that say to organize and change things through democratic voting, policy development, etc.?

There is a video of the French President hinting the Illuminati were somehow involved in the Charlie Hebdo attacks - language that activates the whole underworld of extremist hate even as World Leaders are organizing conferences to "study" this problem. I think part of the problem is World Leaders have resorted to *using* mass manipulation via the media a lot, which increases the public distrust/paranoia even as it does herd them into unthinking "outraged mobs" against this that. (btw, I suspect Obama did the same, rather ham-handedly, with the North Korean hack, and I think this was a mistake for reasons listed above.)

[Trillo]

2. The original House of Representatives was not limited to 435

(I think 435 is the number, my memory is often faulty). The original constitution said that the House of Representatives were to be a function of population, something like 1 per 30,000 folks. Based on the number of eligible voters, 200 million or so, there should very roughly be almost 7,000 Representatives.

It would cost a lot more to bribe 7000 Representatives, than only 435 of them. About 13-14 times as much. Did I say bribe? I meant "fund their campaigns for office."

There's the additional issue looking at it the other way, under the 435 member House of Reps, there are almost 1/2 milliion people per Representative, instead of 30,000.

Given these numbers, it makes sense that the House of Representatives, sometimes called the "house of the people", cannot adequately represent all their constituents, and pick and choose only to represent a small fraction of them.

[daredtowork]

5. By political representatives I mean

...ALL my ostensible "representatives", including State and local. Seriously, they just don't give a flying frak. At the big "police issues" Town Hall they were just biding their time while constituents talked, and they cut off constituent time, so THEY could talk - and then they just gave the talking points for their elections! Pfft.

Well, anyway - their behavior explains why voter turn out is 30% and falling around here.

Of greater concern, though, is the idea that people can't get "the facts" from their government or from the mainstream media. And people can't "get things done" through regular political process. Both of those sentiments ultimately lead to fascism.

[Trillo]

8. You can apply the same kind of numbers analysis to local officials.

I used to live in San Diego. At the time, it was a city of about 2 million people. They have 9 council members. That is one councilor per 220,000 folks. Again, a number a bit larger than 30,000.


I'm convinced we've been in Fascism since I was born, that would be the 1960s. Just like the difficulty determining when corporatism was enabled, there is no one absolute marker of fascism, rather, there is a continuum of actions that build on each other. Another confounding issue is the differences between corporatism and fascism, if any truly exist.

The creation of the CIA after WWII is undoubtedly one of the important fascist historical markers. They were involved with Operation Mockingbird, which began the loss of reputation of the mass media, and which has later resulted in the consolidation of mass media. The consolidation means that there are a fewer rich investors who have controlling interest in these firms, and their views are what is pushed.

I don't know what the solutions are to any of this. I refuse to be afraid for the future, but at the same time I chose not to have children, since I loved them, and didn't think this was a good place to bring loved ones.

If there is going to be a peaceful resolution to it, the road out will be every bit as long and hard as the road in.

[ND-Dem]

4. I had the same question.

[daredtowork]

6. Scary times. nt

[PufPuf23]

7. "some form of arbitrary rule dressed in sham constitutional clothing"

check

[Skidmore]

9. Who is this "we" and who is this

"Next generation?" And who shows up to vote?

[daredtowork]

10. "We" Being the Entire United States

But more specifically those interested in preserving democracy in the United States.

"Who shows up to vote?" is the question.

[geek tragedy]

11. As opposed to the golden times when we had students being gunned down

or earlier when we had concentration camps?

Fascism has always lurked as a possibility. This period being part of that larger pattern.