This author argues so.
I don't know if we are, but ponder this: In the late 1930s, there were four reasonably powerful dictatorial regimes: Germany, Italy, Japan and the Soviet Union. The three that are now democratic states got there because the dictators began wars of conquest that led to their destruction. One dictator killed himself as his bunker was about to be overrun. One was shot dead and his corpse hung upside down from a meat hook. The third was tried for war crimes and hanged. The only regime that wasn't invaded and crushed later fell apart, only to be ultimately replaced by a dictatorial regime that legitimizes itself with sham elections.
Tipping points are often things that can't be easily discerned when they occur.
But if there is any truth to it, then this may be the last Fourth that we celebrate as a free people. For we are already sliding down the slope.
Tricolor Au Naturel
57 minutes ago
14 comments:
The saddest part is that the Republicans don't care. They are fine with America becoming a fascist state, as long as they get to be the ones in charge of it.
The real pisser on that table is that Italy topped or equaled us in four of five catagories, only losing in Functioning of Government...which is lower only because Italy hasn't had a really functioning government since about 2013, and has been whipsawed since 1994.
Reading a bit more, the parallels to the Roman Republic c.120 BC are not encouraging...but I doubt we’ll get 50-80 years to fix this mess before the fall.
I am certainly not a Trump apologist, but I have to disagree that the idea that how we are viewed as a nation by the world press freedom index has any bearing on reality as to what may happen in the future in the U.S.
While it has been quite apparent that Trump is the most hostile president to the press, maybe since Abraham Lincoln, what is not apparent is how that will affect our nation's future. Trump will not be around forever, perhaps leaving as early as 2020. Then it remains to be seen just what kind of relationship the media will have with the next president, no matter the party they come from.
I know that many dislike RT as being something of a spotty website, but this link shows just how the media, at times not only makes what are not simple mistakes in reporting the news, but out and out lies about their reporting, which is most distasteful. It should be noted that these news stories are not directed at only one party. The Republicans have used the media to distort as well.https://www.rt.com/usa/431634-ten-news-anchor-fails/
You do know what the RT stands for, right?
I think it all depends on what we do next, and that all depends on whether enough of us vote against these Republicans, and yes, this is all the Republicans doing this, to overcome the election cheating they are setting up right now while we are distracted by the show they are putting on.
If enough of us care enough to turn out and beat them by the ten points they will require of us to take part of the government back, then we will have a fighting chance at turning this administration into the aberration it must be in order for our country to survive as something any of us might recognize.
Then it will be up to us whether we care enough to actually take our part in the government and make it what we believe it should be.
The good news on that front is the unprecedented number of younger, mostly female, first time candidates currently seeking office, from school board on up the ticket.
Something like 20,000 of them since the last election.
I think they are important for a couple of reasons: First, they show that a larger number of citizens want to do something about what is happening now than we've seen before, and second, we desperately need younger representation than we have.
My generation has simply fucked this off, and we need the next one to take over before we break it past the point of recovery.
We do have the numbers for this. We need the will, and the follow through. As in if we do manage to wrest power away from the American Fascists who have it now, we have to do something about our electoral system as a first priority to guarantee that the constituencies are more proportionally represented by the government.
That is, we have to re-impose fairness, and it will be over the largest and most public (and possibly violent) fit anyone has ever seen thrown. Power does not relinquish anything willingly, and this will represent the rejection of the old and entrenched white, male, power structure embodied by both Trump and Putin to some extent, and the damage this administration has done to the agencies of government will put the next administration in a weakened position when it comes time to re-assert sanity to governance.
But what is our other choice?
I mean realistically?
No third party is going to rise up and overcome the obstacles they have put in the way, the numbers just aren't there for that. We have those numbers. We have won the popular vote in six out of the last seven presidential elections, and the highest number of votes ever recorded for a president (and the second highest) were cast for an African-American Democrat, and the third highest was for a Democratic woman.
I don't think we're down for the count, myself, but I do think we need to start taking this seriously enough to actually fix it.
-Doug in Oakland
Pigpen, go read the latest from Stonekettle Station and consider it(Sorry if that’s an illegal plug, Comrade). His analysis of the current situation is damn terrifying.
Don't forget Spain, where Franco remained in power his entire life, and afterwards his followers remained the core of the right-wing parties and have successfully blocked any attempt to investigate the murders, kidnappings, and rapes of the regime, much less prosecute anyone for them. They won't even allow for unmarked or mass graves to be exhumed so that families can get closure.
Uh, pigpen, when making claims about how trustworthiness of our domestic media it's probably not the best idea to use a mouthpiece of our biggest historical adversary as your sole piece of evidence. Especially when that adversary is renowned for their use of espionage and propaganda. Doubly so when it's run by a former spook who's the dictatorial leader mentioned in the original post.
Just sayin'. I mean, if that's the strongest case you can make...
bmq215,
I certainly know what RT is about. What I was referring to with the link is to look at some of the videos, which you can see for yourself. It matters not who compiles the videos. Unless you dispute that the videos are not real, but computer generated. If you won't look at the videos, just because of who published them, then you must have a closed mind. I will certainly go to Stonekettle Station, and read what is there.
Dinthebeast, I think that you calling for reimposing fairness, by violent means, is one of the strangest messages that you can send. And while I am not sure what violent means you were intending, to even voice such a thing, in this tinderbox of emotions that are currently running high, is irresponsible.
Earthbound misfit, I must apologize to you. I was hesitant to post this initial topic, due to the fact that I respect your rules for comments and I have tried to not violate them in the past, and was concerned that this post would devolve to what it did, namely, the finger pointing from those who did not agree with me, instead of us being able to use it as a discussion spring board. I am always willing to change my mind, when shown truth, backed up with facts, and not opinions. Truth is more important to me that my somehow being right.
I will leave you in peace, as far as I can, and hope that you have a good rest of the summer. I will continue to visit, as you often post many thought provoking topics, and interesting topics. I will just keep my thoughts to myself, and spare you the aggravation.
LOL, well that wasn't the response I was expecting. An appeal to truth sandwiched between ad hominems for those who posted in disagreement ("...then you must have a closed mind", "to even voice such a thing... ...is irresponsible") and a passive-aggressive sign-off ("I will just keep my thoughts to myself and spare you the aggravation.")
I certainly can't speak for the Blogmistress but, as far as this fellow commenter is concerned, you're welcome to come back any time that you feel prepared to have a rational debate.
CenterPuke88, the closest analog from the late Roman Republic to Trump is probably Tiberius Gracchus. Reformer and hated by the elites, if they get rid of Trump (like they did Tiberius) he will probably be followed by another - and more radical - reformer. If they then get rid of him too, that's when things will go into the toilet.
Borepatch, are you sure Tiberius Gracchus is the right fit? He and Gaius tried to confiscate "extra" land from the wealthy (no one was allowed to own anything over ~300ac) and directly give it to the homeless and unemployed.
I dunno, doesn't sound very much like Trump to me...
Then again, he also tried to bypass the senate and, when that didn't work, held Rome hostage until they passed his law. That does sound like Trump.
It was the senators who tore him apart in the end.
One of his successor, Gaius's, major reforms was to allow the people to prosecute any magistrate who had exiled citizens (or potential citizens?) without trial. He also required that the state buy large amounts of foreign grain so that it could be given to citizens on a highly subsidized basis. Finally he extended citizenship to people in all allied nations.
Still just not ringing that "Trump" bell...
OK, this may not be necessary, but I feel like I have to point out that I was not, in fact, advocating "reimposing fairness, by violent means", what I said was "That is, we have to re-impose fairness, and it will be over the largest and most public (and possibly violent) fit anyone has ever seen thrown." referring to the resistance, possibly armed, that will definitely occur when Trump's programs begin to be unraveled by lawfully elected Democrats.
And nice try with the "tinderbox" attempt at stifling dissent; last I checked the creation of said tinderbox was a distinctly one sided, deliberate, ongoing, affair: see also "GOPAC 'Language: a Key Mechanism of Control'" "The Tea Party" "The George W Bush administration" "Lee Atwater" and the Twitter feed of Donald J Trump.
I, myself, feel it would be irresponsible to let the attempted destruction of our form of government, complete with children in cages in concentration camps go unchallenged. There is historical precedent for my concern.
-Doug in Oakland
Borepatch, I fear you have fallen into believing The Donald's own statements. The Donald is ceertainly neither a reformer nor a Republican, he is rather a wannabe dictator. Consider how he assaults the press that doesn't fawn, lies often and without regard to truth, and plays tribal games. Those on the Right who are supporting him may well rue the day when he comes for their cherished rights. He is as pro-gun as a llama, in that he has no real concept of the right, what it means, or how it relates. The Donald has never had to worry about that because he has his own security. When the 2nd Amendment becomes an impediment or an obstacle to him, he will toss it without compunction. He currently supports attacks on Roe v. Wade because of its tribal power and removal of rights from another group.
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