BRILLIANT analysis of the takeover of authoritarianism/fascism -and a dire warning for the USA !!

[pangaia]

THOUGHT ECONOMICS

A Conversation with Ece Temelkuran on How to Lose a Country, in 7 Steps.
1ST SEPTEMBER 2019 /

It’s not about the maturity of your democracy, it’s not about the strength of your institutions either…. Once the cancer of authoritarianism gets into the veins and organs of society, it’s not easy to get-out – they have this very specific way of paralysing political mechanisms and dismantling the fundamental human logic.

Populism is the act of politicising and mobilising ignorance to the point of political and moral insanity

In Turkey, coups are played out over forty-eight-hour curfews, and the leftists are locked up at the end. Then afterwards, of course, another generation of progressives is rooted out, leaving the country’s soul even more barren than it was before.”

Today, right-wing populism, authoritarianism and neo-fascism are coming from different places. Reality TV stars, strange men, and people who otherwise would be considered national jokes. Many of today’s right-wing populist leaders are political figures that nobody really took seriously from the beginning. Nobody expected that neo-fascism could take hold with swagger, in such a laid-back manner.

I am incredibly inspired by the fight of young women in Turkey and the Middle East – fighting for democracy with their lives… they are unstoppable…

When it comes to Europe and the Western democracies; we have to take to the streets and make ourselves heard – end of story.

https://thoughteconomics.com/?p=6590&fbclid=IwAR1abo_vLbiAu3ukzqwqQGacRDUZrU1xrCSiQ5jibIPAyi9G1KQuHVCt0GM

[Poiuyt]

1. The right wing nationalism is a worldwide phenomenon, not just in the US

A very disturbing trend.

Though this movement did not begin with trump, I see him as its global leader. Even when he's out of office, he'll still be the face of 21st century fascism.

[pangaia]

3. Yes, of course it is worldwide.

And the author is speaking from her experience in Turkey.. odd that, eh !


You are probably right abut trump...

[Hortensis]

2. We have to vote. Vote smart. Register the vote.

GOTV. Donate.

Taking to the streets is what people who don't have the power of a real VOTE have to do: They're threatening to become violent and topple their regimes to return power to the people via the VOTE.

Protests are fine as long as they're promises to VOTE as if our VOTE depends on it. Because it does.

44 days to Iowa.
318 days to restabilizing and strengthening our democracy.

[pangaia]

4. I seriously question whether we still have the power of a real VOTE.

[Hortensis]

6. Next fall we'll find out if we do or if 2012 was

our last sovereign national election. But I don't think it was. 2020 could be, but even a massive theft there might be their last instead.

If our sovereignty was destroyed, though, don't for a moment imagine that protests would change a thing. Dissident left and Democratic protests currently only strengthen the resolve of the right and grow worry in most others about civil unrest and support for stopping it. And all faux votes in support would be counted and multiplied. If our power was actually gone, it'd take decades, much building of resistance through suffering, much national decline, and many lives to restore.

Many people are naturally happier with authoritarian governments and would behave and approve oppression of those who don't stay in line. And for those who caused trouble, the water and power could always be cut off and roads closed. We're not in 1776 colonial America any more. Hard on people in those areas who thought supporting authoritarian government meant it'd support them, but oh well. What'd a few thousand deaths and arrests here and there be to a nation of 330,000,000 beyond a necessary lesson and keeping of the peace?

VOTE!

[hedda_foil]

5. They have this very specific way of paralysing political mechanisms and dismantling the fundamental