In addition to the racism the new Republican view of Democrats is that they (we) are somehow unamerican and not entitled to reasonable dialog and compromise.
Basically, the Right started this no compromise relationship and sustains it with a steady stream of hate radio and TV. Their movement is essentially today's model of fascism. Fascism traditionally dehumanizes the opposition, defines it as other and wages total war against it. Today's others are Blacks on welfare (generally the welfare label is hung on Blacks who have to prove they are otherwise) illegal Hispanics (as with Blacks this group too is assumed to be something other than mainstream American, in this case illegal unless they prove otherwise), the poor in general (assumed to be that way voluntarily because they do not want to work and want a handout) and liberals and progressives, usually labeled as socialists and communists and therefore, other and unamerican.
It almost always works this way, setting up the other for disenfranchisement followed in the most extreme cases deportation, loss of property, prison and so on. In Pennsylvania, for example, there is vigorous move to require voters to have photo identification. Easy enough for those who have driver's licenses, college student ID's, etc. but not so easy for the urban poor. The idea is to make it hard for large numbers of to vote. This disenfranchisement is reminiscent of the poll taxes and literacy tests used in the old South to keep Blacks from voting. Same process. Same early stage fascism.
As for fascism, the word "fascism," if you don't like it, substitute the words "radical" or "extreme right" for fascist--same beast.
1 comment:
To prove who you are to vote is radical? I find it more extreme to allow people to vote multiple times and therefore cheat the system; call me crazy!
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