A Quiz

Obama promised a “social revolution” for “remaking” the American people.

Do you SUPPORT or OPPOSE?

Obama made populist appeals to the middle class (especially the lower middle class) by promising to protect small business and small property owners, while pledging to oppose big business.

Do you SUPPORT or OPPOSE?

Obama opposes laissez-faire economic policies dominant in the era prior to the recession. Obama wishes to nationalize health care, manage our currency and make some massive state investments. Obama may introduce price controls, wage controls and other types of economic interventionist measures.

Do you SUPPORT or OPPOSE?

Obama thinks that private property should be regulated to ensure that "benefit to the community precedes benefit to the individual." Obama also wants to introduce other types of economic planning measures.

Do you SUPPORT or OPPOSE?

Okay, I admit I'm playing dirty. What follows are the original quotes I changed, they can be found here.

Mussolini promised a “social revolution” for “remaking” the Italian people.

Fascists made populist appeals to the middle class (especially the lower middle class) by promising to protect small business and small property owners from communism, and by promising an economy based on competition and profit while pledging to oppose big business

Fascists opposed laissez-faire economic policies dominant in the era prior to the Great Depression. Fascist governments nationalized some key industries, managed their currencies and made some massive state investments. Fascist governments introduced price controls, wage controls and other types of economic interventionist measures

Fascists thought that private property should be regulated to ensure that "benefit to the community precedes benefit to the individual." They also introduced price controls and other types of economic planning measures.

Now before you get your knickers in a twist, let's talk about the word "fascism". I again ask you to disengage your emotional response, and plug in your brain.

I myself have been called a fascist on the web a couple of times, and a "Facist" even more. (I deny being a "facist". I like faces. I just don't like anyone having more than one.)

Fascist has come to mean "anybody I disagree with but can't make a rational argument against"

Fascism has almost nothing to do with politics. The classic fascist states, Germany, Italy, Iraq, were all authoritarian oligarchies. Most were also racist, and suppressed dissent.

Fascism is, however, primarily an ECONOMIC system.

We all know that the means of production will be both owned and controlled. There are only two parties who can do these: individuals (or corporations of individuals) and the State. These two facts give us a choice of three economic systems.

In Free Enterprise, the means of production are both owned and controlled by individuals.

In Socialism, the means of production are both owned and controlled by the State.

In Fascism, the means of production are owned by individuals, and controlled by the State.

Besides lecturing, I really do have two points to make.

First, the fact that you did not immediately see through what I was doing, that my fabricated statements about President Obama were plausible, should make you a bit nervous.

Second, the President firing CEO's of major companies, not allowing banks to repay, demanding companies make forced deals, etc. makes ME damned nervous.

Just how slippery is this slope? Is history repeating?

Damn, how I hate reruns.

The Grey Man