Someone answer a quick question for me.

[Feeling the Bern]

Someone needs to explain to me why no one claims a fascist can't win the White House (Trump, Cruz), but everyone claims a socialist can't (Sanders).

Why is fascism more appealing to Americans than socialism? Are we really that stupid of an electorate?

[PatrickforO]

1. A profound question.

I believe it is because the establishment, particularly the economic elites, tend to turn a blind eye to fascism because it is a chest-pounding nationalism that has socially conservative overtones. The social conservatives have long been used by the economic elites as a reliable voting block, and the chest pounding nationalists ensure the MIC higher profits.

Socialists, on the other hand, are frowned upon because socialist movements, by definition, put the needs of the people first, as opposed to the needs of the wealthy. Usually, it is the economic elites that have to pay for these programs that benefit the people, and the corporate elites who must pay higher wages, offer better working conditions and extend more benefits.

So, socialists and fascists are, in the eyes of the elite, two wildly different things. Yet, interestingly Bernie's and Trump's respective campaigns are both being painted as anti-establishment campaigns in today's 'news.' I saw Lawrence O'Donnell had a whole show on 'outsiders.' I didn't watch it, and so wonder if he made that point somehow.

The other thing that concerns me greatly about Trump is that the economic elites have said they believe he would be easy to control. Funny - that's what executives at IG Farben and Krupp, as well as the Prussian aristocrats believed about Hitler. Sure, they reasoned, let him take power. We can control him...and we all know what happened there. It cost the world upwards of 80 million lives to 'control' the fascist powers that made up the 'axis.'

[DetlefK]

2. Because fascism is built into US-culture.

The US has this cultural meme that the people must fight against their own government.

This is exactly what fascism is about: Establishing a new cultural order with violent means. Throwing out the political bums and replacing them with the real stuff: "Guns&quot TM), "Bible&quot TM), "God&quot TM), "Capitalism&quot TM), "Constitution&quot TM), "Freedom&quot TM)... All of these buzz-words are actually code for oppressive ideas the people who fight the government want to install.

Instead of an entity that can do something for you, government is defined in the US-constitution as something that has to be kept in check lest it turns evil.

[Hortensis]

6. Fasicms is solely an ultraconservative phenomenon.

A tendency to authoritarianism and fascism is in many strong conservatives, and, true, fascist tendencies are frequently seen in conservatively dominated governments in our democratic republic.

We need to not be confused by the fact, though, that fascism can take the form of either right- or left-wing government structures -- they are all ultraconservative/authoritarian in nature and ideology.

Critical to battling this: Neither fascism nor authoritarianism are part of liberal personality or liberal-dominated cultures.

Liberals are the anti-fascists and anti-authoritarians.

[onehandle]

3. I missed where Trump and Cruz referred to themselves as 'fascists.'

Lots of video with Senator Sanders calling himself a socialist.

[Vinca]

5. A rat doesn't have to wear a sign for you to know it's a rat.

[Hortensis]

4. I think we all know a socialist could be elected.

"Everyone" is not making that claim.

[jeff47]

7. Because the wealthy would do well under a fascist.

And the wealthy control the "mainstream" media.