On “Book review: How Fascism Works”

Throwing rocks does not a country make

Starting with fascism, the theme established always starts with a Nazi example. For that, we need to look at the broadcaster of social media of that age, the brains behind the propaganda machine, Joseph Goebbels, and reviews other “definitions” of political styles of government rules, from the Greeks which organized their government in a democratic way.

The Greeks,

Demo (people) Kratos (rule), “rule by the people.” is the idea that sparked our Constitutional government. However, the idea of a “Majority rule” was nixed by the founders, after their experience with the “Articles of the Confederacy.” Majority rule did not work and the founders used those experiences to create a “System” of government ruled by the Constitution.

Joseph Goebbels

Hitler gave the key post of minister for public enlightenment and propaganda to Joseph Goebbels. Like many other leaders in the Nazi Socialist Party, Hitler picked people to top posts people that had no spine and were agreeable to him. They became the fanatics that visibly carry out his bidding. Goebbels had Jewish teachers when he was young and never showed animosity for them. He was engaged to a woman who was part Jewish. However, he did exceeded in his job as propaganda minister. He greatly contributed to Hitler being elected in 1933. In a nut shell, he used all the media available at the time, however he used these basic tenets: Attribution here

Appeal to the emotions — Avoid abstract ideas.

Constantly repeat just a few ideas. Use stereotyped phrases.

Give only one side of the argument.

Continuously criticize your opponents.

Pick out one special “enemy” for special vilification.

Sound Familiar?

Britannica starts a review of fascism by saying, “There has been considerable disagreement among historians and political scientists about the nature of fascism.” That being a good place of start, gives way to the fact the review does not take into account “the people.” “We” are not automatons ready to take the next order from an authoritarian (yet). Desperate people do that.

The people of the United States of America has a large swath of immigrants that know what fascism is and worse, what Communism is. Some of us left our families as young teenagers because of it.

Many people voted for Trump for one reason and one reason only, he was an independent masquerading as a Republican. People that express a linking for Trump were called RINOs (Republican In Name Only). What these people liked best of all, he was a man for change, which is what we needed. Why?

Many “political” writers, they are happy just pounding on the “opposition” political lines, however, many people looked for, but did not see anyone mentioning how this country political machine has to follow the Constitution. In fact the perception is that the Constitution is for the people to follow which is not true. Nothing could be further from the truth. Randy Barnett said it best:

“the Constitution is not the law that governs us. The Constitution is the law that governs those who govern us. They should not be able to change the meaning of the laws that governs them without going through the amendment process, anymore than you or I can change the laws they make to govern us, without going through the legislative process.”

Nobody in “our” political machine thinks about how the “law” they create follows and is subservient to the Constitution. They are immune to it and only give it lip service when it is convenient to them. One party is happy disintegrating the country into so many segments to hate, I have lost count.

The other one is just happy pointing their finger at the first. Meanwhile trying to do a repeat of what they have always done, without a new plan. The whole story is one big “definition of insanity.”

When people say, “In my experience, Americans think they live in a country that is somehow immune from fascism.” It is because of the way our Nation was established and for a second reason, the first and second Amendments. Our forefathers have given the US, the people, permission to safeguard the Constitution. The Declaration of Independence, our Moral Law, gives us that permission.

As opposed to the perception, “And, of course, we just emerged from four years of an increasingly obviously proto-fascist Donald Trump, culminating in the January 6, 2021 riot on Capitol Hill.” Trump was a leader.

Proof of his performance was on what he did, not in what he said. The guy could not speak any better than I can, but, he knew how to make decisions; he was definitely decisive. I expected more from him but he also hired many zeros to the left (people that don’t count). His personality did not allow him to hire better people than he was, or knew more than he did. This led to some of the mistakes he made.

It does not follow from any discussion nor a mention of books discussion when people conclude “America, is just as susceptible to tyranny as any other place in the world.” This is off the wall, tyranny, defined as “ruling without law.” Would be nearly impossible in the USA, for so many reasons. One is that the Constitution will no longer rule. It follows that the DOD no longer has a “Commander in Chief” thus, it would probably split into factions, then a civil war would ensue.

We can call Congress “Mob Tyrants,” per my previous discussion but, one President who was persecuted from the get-go (Trump), through the end of his period, and, who accomplish what he accomplished, making the right decisions time and time again? to improve the country? in a word, No.

Discussions about “Nixon, propaganda machines, a la CNN, State Rights and the dehumanization of others, especially immigrants,” are, again off the wall, and designed to sustain the divisions created by manipulation in our Nation. This type of venting is not helping. It is just trumpeting to the echo chamber wanting to hear applause.

A Definition of Tyranny

Immigrant experiences. Going back to Ronald Reagan as governor of California (1973) when many foreigners of my generation became citizens and never felt anyone was working against them. When they arrived they did not speak any English and many had to sign up for the draft (Vietnam), per their immigration agreements (after you turned 18), which they did if they were on track to become citizens, and were promptly classified I-A. We wanted to go to school and study a profession. We worked at cleaning buildings, washing dishes, whatever paid the rent. We had to take full loads at school even though English was a problem, we found a way.

Do you want to see tyrants? Go to a third-world country and watch the tanks roll in, surround the presidential palace, while the people watch, unarmed because there is no second amendment (in any other part of the world as far as I know). That is the definition of Tyranny.

I assume I’m one of those marked souls in the new society incendiary words about politics, not to mend our country, but to continue to tear it apart. To mentally attack those against whatever progressives are for today.

What are you for? It s hard to discern what the rocks being thrown are for and the bigger question is Who Is Supposed to Fix It? We are ultimately responsible for the government. They are carrying out “what they think” you want. based on the government that was voted in, this is what you WE wanted:

Jobs Hourly Earnings— From Jan 2021 to Jan 2022

When people throw rocks at SCOTUS, whose EXPRESSED job is given to them BY the CONSTITUTION, they are thinking of one of these two camps. Even though, they have to hold the “feet of the President and the Congress” to the fire of the Constitution.

I still don’t know the basis for the people that are so strident for throwing gasoline to a fire to make it roar more so, I cannot consider it or judge it for myself. It might just be best to ignore it.

Let’s work to fix what is wrong with the governments we select and get them back to live and carry the Constitution as the LAW they have to follow.

I swore to uphold the Constitution of these United States of America when I signup for the Armed Forces back in 1979, I continue to learn its history and love it even more today. I believe there is a chasm between us and Tyranny.

210907 — Thank you for reading