Tall Midget wrote:
long time guy wrote:
You still can't come across as a bumbling idiot.
Apparently you aren't familiar with the presidency of George W. Bush.
long time guy wrote:
I think it is a tad early to be proclaiming a fascist revolution.
Where did I make such a proclamation? I simply stated that Trump's approach to politics--combined with his evident popularity--exemplifies the birth of a mainstream American fascist political discourse. If you disagree, please present a compelling argument to the contrary.
long time guy wrote:
After all Obama doesn't exactly come from wealth.
How is this relevant? Under Obama's reign, economic and racial inequality have increased, not decreased. Prior to declaring his candidacy for president, Obama curried favor with Wall Street insiders by promising them that an Obama administration would neither criminally prosecute them for their role in the mortgage scandal nor impose harsh regulations on their operation. Obama has been a useful idiot for the people who really run this country.
long time guy wrote:
Trumps popularity is mostly derived from name recognition. He has been a public figure for over 30yrs. He is that rare combination of both wealth and celebrity. This combination is not typically found in the political arena.
As you state, Trump has been a public figure for three decades. His bombastic stupidity was well known prior to his candidacy. Yet he is still by far the leading candidate for the Republican nomination. As I have already stated, I believe his campaign will eventually implode. But his popularity surely signifies that expertise and intelligence are no longer as important in our political discourse as they once were. Certainly George W. Bush's electoral triumphs over Gore and Kerry serve as reminders that this dynamic is not entirely new.
long time guy wrote:
He has always been a marketable commodity and as such he is benefitting during the early portion of the campaign. Lack of Substance will be his undoing as there will be a bit of buyer's remorse at some point. He is running for leader of the free world not businessman of the yr. At some point he will have to present himself as a statesman because that is how the game is played.
Your diagnosis is probably correct regarding this election cycle, but our economic, political and social dynamics favor the election of someone like Trump--if not Trump himself--at some point in the near future.
Bush is far superior to Trump in terms of being a political athlete.
With respect to money in politics I completely agree that there is too much money in politics. I don't think it can singlehandedly determine whether a person wins or loses. The Koch Brothers could throw $900 million behind Bobby Jindal and he still would lose.
In terms of fascist political discourse I would ask that you clarify that a little further. I will infer and if I'm wrong feel free to correct me. There are definitely some fascist elements to what Trump is doing. His stances on illegal immigration, China, Iran, Russia, are nothing more than good old fashion nativism camouflaged as populism.
I don't think that it is introducing fascism into the discourse because this sort of nativism has always been a part of the discourse. The actors have changed. Hispanics are now being substituted for other groups that have historically been a victim of prejudiced. This sort of rhetoric will always play to a certain stream of people.
However this type of rhetoric doesn't win elections or even primaries. It will grant Trump a seat at the dinner table, something which he already had anyway, but it won't carry the day. I could point out a number of people that have run under nativist/fascist umbrellas only to later fizzle. It's not new.
I also don't see the sort of militarism that accompanies fascist movements or discourse. This is where Trump definitely would need to be more specific. He would have to better articulate exactly what his worldview is in order for fascist discourse to take place.
You are definitely correct with regard to corporate influence. Fascism can't exist without it. There definitely is too much influence exerted on the process by corporations. Fascist govt levels no, but too much for my liking.
_________________
The Hawk wrote:
This is going to reach a head pretty soon.
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