The American media needs to call this movement what it is, fascism, and demand accountability and answers from the thousands of Republican politicians nationwide who refuse to repudiate it...
Dec 13, 2022·edited Dec 13, 2022Liked by Thom Hartmann
Thank you for clearly calling this out as a resurgence of fascism in the US. I felt this way when the Tea Party was being promoted and will remind folks that Trump first ran for president as the Tea Party candidate. 2016 was simply a follow on in his ascendency. The recent ULTRA podcast has a great detailed account of the treasonous America First movement and the seditious conspiracy which included members of congress. The DOJ investigation then was shut down.
In recent days, we have seen Germany take rapid action indicting a major neo-nazi coup before it happened. But, our US laws seem to be totally inadequate due to interpretations around free speech. And the GOP is busy working to block accountability and weaken our protections further. I have come to refer to them as the American Fascist Party. Call them what they are.
Questions of the day: Will history simply repeat itself? Will the latest set of seditious actors be held accountable? Will our legal/enforcement protections for this clear and present danger ever be strengthened?
Seems that drug laws which hold people to account, are, in fact, applied to Blacks possessing marijuana with less deliberation, more alacrity, than obstructionist and seditious laws are applied to that political equivalent of fentanyl, specifically the almost-White GOP aka the GOF (Grand Old Fascists).
Closed, fascist minds have no opening in their 'group-think' bubble-brains for contrary evidence or for "other" persons' views. Only the swift kick from a mule's rear will get ANY of their cult to realize they've been swimming in putrid dogma all along. And, that's a frightening thing once a persona realizes their compass has been set askew by forces they've never really ever understood!
Another great "report," Thom, as we continue to circle the fascistic / authoritarian drain....but when & how do we do a "super flush"...eh? You are quite right that fascism in various degrees and forms is a phenomenon around the world in human societies--so it's obviously a human-created problem...yeh?
What I see is that roughly half of the USA base their lives on real-life EVIDENCE...while the other half don't...and therefore live in a fantasyland of their own liking. That half LIKED Donald Trump because he unleashed their childish, self-obsessed frustrations and desire for unlimited, unrestrained POWER.
I am still seeking some leverage point to change minds but so far I have found none. I gather you have not either, yeh? The only way to stop such idiots in the past has been to either lock them up or defeat them on the battle field. I am not encouraged with what Rachel Maddow revealed in her "ULTRA" podcast that the DOJ was completely ineffective in holding any of the Hitler backers--in Congress or out--accountable for their overt actions to undermine & destroy our democracy during WWII. I think Ari Melber (MSNBC) did a great job of pointing out yesterday that apparently Peru & Germany know how to quickly respond to attempts to overturn their democracies...whereas after two years we have not even so much as charged any of the top coup-plotters with their in-plain-sight crimes against our democracy...and in many cases violations of their oath of office to uphold our Constitution. It is all so blatant and obvious to most of us. I am kind of holding my breath to see if special counsel Jack Smith really takes action against the coup leader, Donal J. Trump, and ALL of his co-conspirators. I have given up on AG Merrick Garland. After 2 years the DOJ is still waiting to get info / data / evidence from the Jan. 6th Committee ! Really? The DOJ has far superior power to get evidence, to compel testimony, or prosecute those who refuse. We all know this. The only choice I see before us is to either prosecute the coup plotters or prepare for another Civil War in some form. Do you have alternatives, Thom? Or anyone ?
“The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is Fascism—ownership of Government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power.” FDR in 1938
The truth is that wealthy elites have controlled this country for the past 400 years. The have successfully waged class warfare on workers over that same period of time. The elites in Germany and in the United States supported Hitler and the Nazi Party and along with the Pope, enabled their rise to power. In the United States the elites decide who runs for office and usually who gets elected with their control of the media which goes back to the days of George Washington when an opposition newpaper was forced out of business.
We know have a far right wing U.S. Supreme Court that decided that in 2000 the next president would be GW Bush. Earlier the DNC bosses decided to remove three-term VP Henry A Wallace as the vice president on the 1944 presidential ticket and insured that their man, Harry Truman, would be the next president when FDR died 4 months later. It is likely that the Dulles brothers who worked for the Rockefellers engineered the assasinations of JFK and later his brother, fearing that they would end the highly profitable cold war with the Soviet Union.
Americans are the most gullible people in the world and fragmenting them with racist propaganda in the media and in the schools and even in the churches, from cradle to the grave has been all to easy to prey upon.
Thom: please listen to the "On The Media" miniseries "Divided Dial". RW radio has been flooding the market place of ideas for decades with their virulent strain of Christo fascim in service to authoritarianism. Inflection Point happened long ago. We're in serious trouble.
There has been a behind the scenes effort to take over the American Presidency, encouraged and promoted by Roger Stone and others, involving: 1) the promotion of a person to the office who had TV exposure to the American public, 2) a shared mission with the religious right, fortified by an effort to outlaw abortion (it's all we have to do, and we can do that), 3) the rise of militant groups willing to support the effort (which makes sense because our country was built by militias). This vision of a Fascist America was shared back in 2002, and the history behind that presentation goes back further, but was amplified by the "straight up sharing of a captured American Presidency" put forward at that time.
You could do a whole session on Charles “Lucky Lindy” Lindbergh. From his embrace of the `Master Race Theory` (of which he perceived himself as one of) to his actual carrying out of the #Eugenics’ movement theory that One (1) superior “bull” could and should inject his perceived superior genes into the population at large, to his death and self-made crypt in #Hawaii. The dude tried to inseminate the entire European continent with HIS perceived superior genes! How many of his children born to the various mothers of #Europa have survived to this day?
Right on Point Tom! And if I may add, these reoccurring surges in authoritarian fascism always begin
when Christianity first moves to the far right. As reactionary's they of course don't think - they react
particularly so to coded words replicated from the bible.
And because they are indoctrinated to believe in invisible demons... because they are invisible, they
must create them usually by dehumanizing and first attacking and then slaying their invisible demons
always among the most defenseless of the host nation. Nazi War criminals for example when interrogated just before they were hung, stated as justification, the inscription on their belt buckle,
Trump went from being our problem to being THEIR problem.
Once again Hartmann gets to the heart of the problem at hand---the fascist in Congress and next door.
To me the worst part of this is that much of the source of their thinking comes from these ancient religions. Why go back 2000 years? The sickest idea of all is that there is redemption through suffering. Why should any modern human being have to live by their rules when we have the accumulated knowledge of humans over thousands of years? Their dogma is not logical.
But then again, neither is it logical for people who are not rich to embrace fascism that will make them less free to enjoy their lives.
Exposing the fascists in Congress is a start. Monday is going to be interesting.
Thom shared with us about the wars and the turnings, so we may ask ourselves...what war are we looking at now for this time in history and for the GenZs to fight? Is it the war in Ukraine? Or the war on democracy? Or the war against Covid?
No, it’s not those threats. I believe we all recognize the horrific war that’s been raging in the USA for the past 20-40 years. It’s gun violence! It’s now the highest cause of death for children in this nation. Not other nations it’s here! GenZs have been living out this war every day with active shooter drills...their entire lives. They are living out this war and it seems to me older generations seem oblivious to the real trauma they’ve experienced and how passionate they are to win this war. Just as the young soldiers devoted their lives during and after their wars to change the future we will see GenZs do the same!
GenXers didn’t step up and fight against the legislative political changes that were happening every day under their watch. What happened to them? Did they just bury their heads in the sand and enjoy the improved standard of living their parents provided for them? What could have changed if they had have stepped up, to not just see, but address, the erosion of political freedoms as oligarchs like the Koch’s and others took over our political systems. Could they have averted this crisis? I doubt it because maybe this is part of the turning cycle. Because that middle generation refuses to look outward in a collectivist manner, then the individualism reigns and the big bucks buy their way into positions of power to exploit and rule.
I believe these GenZs will not only step up but they’ll passionately win this war and strip the exploiters of their power and control. It’s our job as Boomers, and even those uninterested GenXers, to encourage and mentor them so they become world changers and lead the way to a more equitable, caring and fair society.
I hope there is such a thing as reincarnation because when I die I’d really love a chance to come back again and experience their amazing new world. And if that’s a crazy fantasy then I’ll be happy to live out my life encouraging and mentoring them so they become everything they commit themselves to be, and I’ll help them recruit Millennials who have almost given up on believing in a bright future. These GenZs I know are impressively fierce, educated and great researchers to become problem solvers who will win every war. Geez I love them!
Regarding 80 years, it has been said that each generation tends to avoid the mistakes of its fathers (40 years) but repeat the mistakes of its grandfathers (80 years).
Thank you for clearly calling this out as a resurgence of fascism in the US. I felt this way when the Tea Party was being promoted and will remind folks that Trump first ran for president as the Tea Party candidate. 2016 was simply a follow on in his ascendency. The recent ULTRA podcast has a great detailed account of the treasonous America First movement and the seditious conspiracy which included members of congress. The DOJ investigation then was shut down.
In recent days, we have seen Germany take rapid action indicting a major neo-nazi coup before it happened. But, our US laws seem to be totally inadequate due to interpretations around free speech. And the GOP is busy working to block accountability and weaken our protections further. I have come to refer to them as the American Fascist Party. Call them what they are.
Questions of the day: Will history simply repeat itself? Will the latest set of seditious actors be held accountable? Will our legal/enforcement protections for this clear and present danger ever be strengthened?
Trump is a “useful idiot”, being used by the real force behind the global fascist movement, Putin.
Seems that drug laws which hold people to account, are, in fact, applied to Blacks possessing marijuana with less deliberation, more alacrity, than obstructionist and seditious laws are applied to that political equivalent of fentanyl, specifically the almost-White GOP aka the GOF (Grand Old Fascists).
Want a preview of coming GOP fascism?
Look no further than Tehran. That's the GOP's version of D.C. in 2024, or sooner.
Iran's theocratic public executions and reactionary jailing are a GOP wet-dream.
Closed, fascist minds have no opening in their 'group-think' bubble-brains for contrary evidence or for "other" persons' views. Only the swift kick from a mule's rear will get ANY of their cult to realize they've been swimming in putrid dogma all along. And, that's a frightening thing once a persona realizes their compass has been set askew by forces they've never really ever understood!
Another great "report," Thom, as we continue to circle the fascistic / authoritarian drain....but when & how do we do a "super flush"...eh? You are quite right that fascism in various degrees and forms is a phenomenon around the world in human societies--so it's obviously a human-created problem...yeh?
What I see is that roughly half of the USA base their lives on real-life EVIDENCE...while the other half don't...and therefore live in a fantasyland of their own liking. That half LIKED Donald Trump because he unleashed their childish, self-obsessed frustrations and desire for unlimited, unrestrained POWER.
I am still seeking some leverage point to change minds but so far I have found none. I gather you have not either, yeh? The only way to stop such idiots in the past has been to either lock them up or defeat them on the battle field. I am not encouraged with what Rachel Maddow revealed in her "ULTRA" podcast that the DOJ was completely ineffective in holding any of the Hitler backers--in Congress or out--accountable for their overt actions to undermine & destroy our democracy during WWII. I think Ari Melber (MSNBC) did a great job of pointing out yesterday that apparently Peru & Germany know how to quickly respond to attempts to overturn their democracies...whereas after two years we have not even so much as charged any of the top coup-plotters with their in-plain-sight crimes against our democracy...and in many cases violations of their oath of office to uphold our Constitution. It is all so blatant and obvious to most of us. I am kind of holding my breath to see if special counsel Jack Smith really takes action against the coup leader, Donal J. Trump, and ALL of his co-conspirators. I have given up on AG Merrick Garland. After 2 years the DOJ is still waiting to get info / data / evidence from the Jan. 6th Committee ! Really? The DOJ has far superior power to get evidence, to compel testimony, or prosecute those who refuse. We all know this. The only choice I see before us is to either prosecute the coup plotters or prepare for another Civil War in some form. Do you have alternatives, Thom? Or anyone ?
“The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is Fascism—ownership of Government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power.” FDR in 1938
The truth is that wealthy elites have controlled this country for the past 400 years. The have successfully waged class warfare on workers over that same period of time. The elites in Germany and in the United States supported Hitler and the Nazi Party and along with the Pope, enabled their rise to power. In the United States the elites decide who runs for office and usually who gets elected with their control of the media which goes back to the days of George Washington when an opposition newpaper was forced out of business.
We know have a far right wing U.S. Supreme Court that decided that in 2000 the next president would be GW Bush. Earlier the DNC bosses decided to remove three-term VP Henry A Wallace as the vice president on the 1944 presidential ticket and insured that their man, Harry Truman, would be the next president when FDR died 4 months later. It is likely that the Dulles brothers who worked for the Rockefellers engineered the assasinations of JFK and later his brother, fearing that they would end the highly profitable cold war with the Soviet Union.
Americans are the most gullible people in the world and fragmenting them with racist propaganda in the media and in the schools and even in the churches, from cradle to the grave has been all to easy to prey upon.
Thom: please listen to the "On The Media" miniseries "Divided Dial". RW radio has been flooding the market place of ideas for decades with their virulent strain of Christo fascim in service to authoritarianism. Inflection Point happened long ago. We're in serious trouble.
There has been a behind the scenes effort to take over the American Presidency, encouraged and promoted by Roger Stone and others, involving: 1) the promotion of a person to the office who had TV exposure to the American public, 2) a shared mission with the religious right, fortified by an effort to outlaw abortion (it's all we have to do, and we can do that), 3) the rise of militant groups willing to support the effort (which makes sense because our country was built by militias). This vision of a Fascist America was shared back in 2002, and the history behind that presentation goes back further, but was amplified by the "straight up sharing of a captured American Presidency" put forward at that time.
You could do a whole session on Charles “Lucky Lindy” Lindbergh. From his embrace of the `Master Race Theory` (of which he perceived himself as one of) to his actual carrying out of the #Eugenics’ movement theory that One (1) superior “bull” could and should inject his perceived superior genes into the population at large, to his death and self-made crypt in #Hawaii. The dude tried to inseminate the entire European continent with HIS perceived superior genes! How many of his children born to the various mothers of #Europa have survived to this day?
Right on Point Tom! And if I may add, these reoccurring surges in authoritarian fascism always begin
when Christianity first moves to the far right. As reactionary's they of course don't think - they react
particularly so to coded words replicated from the bible.
And because they are indoctrinated to believe in invisible demons... because they are invisible, they
must create them usually by dehumanizing and first attacking and then slaying their invisible demons
always among the most defenseless of the host nation. Nazi War criminals for example when interrogated just before they were hung, stated as justification, the inscription on their belt buckle,
"for God."
Trump went from being our problem to being THEIR problem.
Once again Hartmann gets to the heart of the problem at hand---the fascist in Congress and next door.
To me the worst part of this is that much of the source of their thinking comes from these ancient religions. Why go back 2000 years? The sickest idea of all is that there is redemption through suffering. Why should any modern human being have to live by their rules when we have the accumulated knowledge of humans over thousands of years? Their dogma is not logical.
But then again, neither is it logical for people who are not rich to embrace fascism that will make them less free to enjoy their lives.
Exposing the fascists in Congress is a start. Monday is going to be interesting.
“ People who skipped their COVID vaccine are at higher risk of traffic accidents, according to a new study. “
https://fortune.com/well/2022/12/13/covid-unvaccinated-greater-risk-car-crash-traffic-accident-new-study-says-canada-government-records-pfizer-moderna/
Did he launch it, or did he capitalize on its below the radar organizing that masqueraded as "ordinary" racism, market fealty and monopolism?
Thom shared with us about the wars and the turnings, so we may ask ourselves...what war are we looking at now for this time in history and for the GenZs to fight? Is it the war in Ukraine? Or the war on democracy? Or the war against Covid?
No, it’s not those threats. I believe we all recognize the horrific war that’s been raging in the USA for the past 20-40 years. It’s gun violence! It’s now the highest cause of death for children in this nation. Not other nations it’s here! GenZs have been living out this war every day with active shooter drills...their entire lives. They are living out this war and it seems to me older generations seem oblivious to the real trauma they’ve experienced and how passionate they are to win this war. Just as the young soldiers devoted their lives during and after their wars to change the future we will see GenZs do the same!
GenXers didn’t step up and fight against the legislative political changes that were happening every day under their watch. What happened to them? Did they just bury their heads in the sand and enjoy the improved standard of living their parents provided for them? What could have changed if they had have stepped up, to not just see, but address, the erosion of political freedoms as oligarchs like the Koch’s and others took over our political systems. Could they have averted this crisis? I doubt it because maybe this is part of the turning cycle. Because that middle generation refuses to look outward in a collectivist manner, then the individualism reigns and the big bucks buy their way into positions of power to exploit and rule.
I believe these GenZs will not only step up but they’ll passionately win this war and strip the exploiters of their power and control. It’s our job as Boomers, and even those uninterested GenXers, to encourage and mentor them so they become world changers and lead the way to a more equitable, caring and fair society.
I hope there is such a thing as reincarnation because when I die I’d really love a chance to come back again and experience their amazing new world. And if that’s a crazy fantasy then I’ll be happy to live out my life encouraging and mentoring them so they become everything they commit themselves to be, and I’ll help them recruit Millennials who have almost given up on believing in a bright future. These GenZs I know are impressively fierce, educated and great researchers to become problem solvers who will win every war. Geez I love them!
Regarding 80 years, it has been said that each generation tends to avoid the mistakes of its fathers (40 years) but repeat the mistakes of its grandfathers (80 years).