On Apr 2, 7:18*am, Kevin Alfred Strom
wrote:
Joe from Kokomo wrote:

Can you define "fascist" please? *With all the accusations and
tomfoolery floating about, I'm not sure I know what one is anymore...

Socialism: the government is business

Fascism: Business is the government

That reminds me of John Kenneth Galbraith, who said that "Under
capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism the reverse is true."

Seriously, though, the word fascism used to have a precise meaning,
but that's been lost because the Republican and Democratic gangs
started misusing the word as a pejorative term against each other.

As I wrote in my article "Everybody’s a Fascist Now!"

http://www.kevinalfredstrom.com/2009...a-fascist-now/

The pop-definition of “fascist” is roughly “big, bad, scary, and
mean authoritarianism.”

“Fascist” is used by the Democrat gang to refer to the Republicans
and their often authoritarian views on (among other things) war,
drugs, and sexuality — and by the Republican gang to refer to the
Democrats and their often authoritarian views on (among other
things) freedom of association, financial privacy, and taxation.

It’s misused that way because both sides think they can make brownie
points by scaring voters with the spectre of authoritarianism from
the rival gang.

With all good wishes,

Kevin Alfred Strom.
--http://kevinalfredstrom.com/

Excellent insights Kevin, and I think you are right - but there is
still an original definition of the word "fascist" which Brenda has
supplied, and it connotes a far worse political system than that
wrought by either (or both) of the major U.S. parties of the 20th and
21st centuries. The word's misuse is really unfortunate; not only
because it inaccurately and unfairly portrays either party or its
adherents, but because it is designed to make the differences appear
much larger than they, and to purposely avoid reaching common ground
and working toward a common good, which the U.S. (and every nation,
really) now so desperately needs.

Bruce Jensen