posted November 24, 2006 05:02 AM
BR~ great response.Quote:
1) "A system of government that exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with belligerent nationalism." --American Heritage Dictionary (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983)
It's interesting to me that a "definition" which attempts to factually describe a concept like fascism leaves so much up to opinion.
The inadequecies of language...
(Now before anyone goes off the deep end, I am not saying the US is fascist... just observations here, my friends..)
".. exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right.."
Well, from what I have seen and how I have interpreted it, this could very well be accurate. Hearing the media describe liberals as "unpatriotic.. .terrorists... they hate America!" certainly paints the picture that yes, the right is in control.
Given the past years of Conservative domination of policy and the Republican control over all three branches of government, is it really a leap to say it has been a dictatorship?
After all, its not just in GU that the Democrats have been mocked as ineffectual and weak. It has been a prevailing theme in most news platforms, talk show hosts, and radio talk shows.
With the success of the Dems in these mid term elections, and in governorships, we could choose to say, "this shows we are not a dictatorship- see, we voted in the other side."
Perhaps- but that doesn't mean that any of the policies created by the right are going to change. This could just be a facade of power tossed out to appease the largely uneducated, uninterested populace.
(funny- that's exactly why the Electoral College was established- to give the illusion to the masses that the popular vote really mattered- but rather that people "in the know" would really make the decision. Oh, how precious the illusion of democracy! Our founding fathers didn't trust the pioneers and farmers to REALLY know who could best run the country!)
Sorry, off topic a bit there.
I don't believe one could answer this question with any suriety. Everyone has a different interpretation of what constitutes a "dicatorship"...some folks are comfortable with what the right stands for, and others feel better with the freedoms and ideals of the left.
Example: I could care less if homosexuals were allowed to marry. I am sure it will make for great new reality television- the genre is getting stale.
However, other people feel its an assault on the very foundations of their self-defined existence.
Who is right? I don't think there is a yes or no to this question either. Lots of opinions... whoo boy.....
Hmmm.. gee.. do you think Jupiter in Sag is getting me on this philosphical groove?
oh yeah oh yeah
MK