Democracy in the United States is clinging by its fingernails. The Bush administration has spent the last eight years laying the “legal” foundations for fascism. Significant measures along this dark road include the Patriot Act, the FISA bill, the repeal of habeas corpus, and a host of executive orders giving the president frightening dictatorial powers. At the same time, the Bush administration has been building the physical machinery of fascism, including domestic detention centers, a network of overseas prisons and torture centers, and most recently, the establishment of Northcom, a division of the US military with orders to serve within the United States (formerly prohibited under the Posse Comitatus Act).

While the Bush administration has been building this fascist apparatus, the economy of the nation has been sliding into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. As we head toward Election Day 2008, the stock market is down about 40% from its peak value in inflation-adjusted terms, real unemployment is well over 10%, almost 1.5 million homes have been foreclosed this year alone, home prices have decreased by almost 20%, major companies announce massive layoffs on a daily basis, and it looks as if the entire American auto industry may well go bankrupt. The only question at this point is whether the United States will suffer a deep recession or an actual depression.

History teaches us that when a country suffers a deep economic crisis, it is vulnerable to a fascist transformation. The most obvious example is the economic collapse of the Weimar Republic, which led to the rise of Nazism in Germany in the 1930s. The rise of fascism in Italy in the 1930s was also rooted in economic problems, as was the rise of fascism in Chile in the 1970s. It is hardly surprising that economic distress leaves a country vulnerable to takeover by fascist forces, for fascism feeds on discontent and succeeds by promising radical solutions.

A country that enters a severe economic crisis with a government of known fascist tendencies is almost certain to become fascist. This is the real danger of a McCain presidency: John McCain is a member of the party that has spent the last eight years preparing for and partially executing a full fascist takeover of the United States. We simply cannot risk having McCain at the helm as we face the coming crisis. John McCain would be all too likely to try to solve the crisis by resorting to extreme, dictatorial and radically undemocratic measures. Moreover, he would be surrounded by the same sorts of advisors who used George W Bush to enact a radical right-wing agenda. These same advisors would be all too happy to use the economic crisis as an excuse for a full takeover of political power.

We should also keep in mind that the Bush administration used threat of terrorism to build the present surveillance/security state, but there is compelling evidence that the real reason for its construction was a growing awareness on the part of the government and the ownership class of this nation that we are facing a severe economic downturn and that this might lead to significant domestic unrest.

We must also remember that John McCain sided with George W Bush on over 90% of his decisions. John McCain supported the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which eliminated habeas corpus rights. John McCain has supported waterboarding and the decision to give the chief executive the power to “interpret” the Geneva Conventions. John McCain has supported spying on American citizens. Thus, in word and deed, John McCain has been an active participant in the erosion of democracy, civil liberties and the rule of law in the United States.

It is also important to remember that John McCain already has a huge army of supporters who would welcome a fascist state. Indeed, the atmosphere and rhetoric at any McCain/Palin rally is clearly reminiscent of a 1930s Nazi rally, complete with mob mentality, racism, and calls for violence. The supporters of McCain and Palin are a mob of brownshirts waiting for their marching orders.

Most importantly, John McCain is the war candidate, and has announced his willingness to stay in Iraq for 100 years and his openness to military actions against Iran. The temptation to go to war to distract citizens from their sufferings or to stimulate the economy will be all but irresistible in the next four years. We cannot allow a known pro-war candidate like John McCain to enter office at a time like this.

I’ve written before on this site that there is a point of no return in the evolution of a fascist state. Once that line is crossed, there is no turning back until the country lies in ashes and millions lie dead both inside and outside the country. John McCain has already shown himself to be erratic in times of crisis and undiscerning in his choices of allies. He cannot be at the helm as we head into one of the most difficult periods in this country’s history.

Despite my misgivings about some of his votes in the Senate and his statements since announcing his candidacy, I am confident that Senator Barack Obama will be much more measured and thoughtful in his responses to the challenges of the next four years. I am confident that Barack Obama can steer us through the next four years without resorting to the fascist measures that have become the hallmarks of today’s Republican Party.

America stands at the edge of an abyss. It is a time of great danger for the country, but also great opportunity. The way we respond to the challenges of the next four years will determine if we sink into ruin or reinvent ourselves as a new and better nation. When you cast your vote on November 4th, you are literally casting a vote for fascism or against fascism. John McCain is ready to open the door to fascism. Don’t give him the chance.
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About author
Chris Rowthorn is an American journalist based in Kyoto, Japan. He has written for the Japan Times and Kansai Time Out.

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/18295

I really don't care about all that ,moving back to Europe

McCain is the war candidate... They are BOTH war candidates!!!

Obama will wage his war in Afghanistan and Du far.... If you think that Obama is any better, then you are just a puppet of the democratic party...

Obama voted for half of those measures mentioned above, and is a supporter of the national ID card....


THINK FOR YOURSELF!!!!

well we have to pick one and I will pick Obama

boring

Do you see a viable alternative?

nope, you just keep wallpapering the web with propaganda

feel free to point out any inaccuaricies you see in this well writen article. I find it to be on target

I'd also like to see what about that article was inaccurate propaganda... if it's the flat truth, then it's not propaganda, pal.

Election '08

Obama []
McCain []
ANYBODY ELSE[x]

Of course they are both war candidates. We are at war in at least two countries and are threatening to become militarily involved in several others.

Have you paid 15 minutes of attention to what's been going on in Afghanistan in the last 30 years?

Better yet in the last 5 years?

This area was of the world has been unstable for some time. We made it worse, we created Bin Laden, when we were playing big boy games with the then Soviet Union.

We have an obligation to set things right or as right as possiable there but it isn't just an obligation it is in our interest security wise to do so.

Bush's cluster$uck aside we have real interests and obligations that are central to our future and our security to deal with in the world. Real interests are not, by the way, they tried to kill my daddy so I am going to go raise some hell in their backyard.

Afghanistan and northern Pakistan are where we must concentrate our efforts.

Sadly, since we made a mess in Iraq we now need to clean it up.

Life is not simple. Quit pointing and yelling oh yeah well you are too. The time for childish finger pointing has long passed.

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Madison's article makes some damned fine points. The public at large, many of whom are either to stupid or lazy or who are so gripped by fear, have sat stupidly by while this administration has boldly and broadly widened the powers of the presidency and flatly ignored any attempt to hold them accountable.

Cheney has asserted when it has suited him that the office of vice president both is and isn't part of the executive branch. (Keep in mind Sarah thinks the office would make her boss of the senate) Bush has ignored the congress and the SCOTUS repeatedly. Keep in mind this is the same court who awarded him the election.

Why more people are not pissed off is beyond me.

If you are not alarmed...you are not paying attention.

I have said this many times before and here it comes again. The Bu****es who thought he was right and had no issues with him blowing off the courts and congress, with his signing statements and his expanded presidential powers won't be very happy when a president they don't love uses and abuses (as Bush did) those same expanded and powers.

I can't wait to hear the ultra-conservatives howling when a future president be it Obama or another continues along the Bush path of an imperial presidency.

I hope they don't just howl, I hope they get off their asses and do something about it.

If you all don't you deserve what you get.

Would our Nation not be better served, by actually protecting our own borders, instead of bombing inside the borders of other nations, thousands of miles away?

McCain obviously wants to continue our Iraq debacle, but both of them have talked trash on a Iran that hasn't attacked Americans on our soil, Both of them haven't had any issues bad mouthing Russia, and Obama is adding to that by talking about moving into Darfur, Pakistan and who knows where else...


Can we please vote in a Noninterventionist, like our Founders advocated for?

Makes one wonder how patriotism has become redefined. From standing up for what you believe and pledging your honor (aka the founding fathers and mothers) to "lets go see who we can find a reason to beat up?"

Washington did warn about foreign entanglements. Unfortunately they are impossible to stay away from.

I respectfully disagree, these foriegn entanglements can be avoided, it starts with removing our nation from the Sovereignty stealing World government organizations, such as the U.N., NATO, the IMF/World bank, and the WTO.

Recsinding all the crap Bush signed during the SPP/NAU accords and getting out of Nafta and the other so called free trade agreements.
Restoring the Tariffs on imports, being open to real free trade and travel, but refusing to be Globocop would go a long way. The only time we should ever go to war, is after we have been attacked on our own soil. We can avoid terror attacks abroad, by closing all these unneeded and harmful out of country military bases and only putting the troops needed overseas to protect our embassies.
However, that being said, I don't think there's a chance in hades that the Duopoly is going to let go of their ability to make world wide power plays, nor will the Military Industrial Complex, the same one Eisenhower warned about, isn't going to let their cash cow to be milked, to go out to pasture.