Today's Article
The neo-conservative
movement has played
its final card, and has
revealed itself for the
American-bred
fascism it really is.
movement has played
its final card, and has
revealed itself for the
American-bred
fascism it really is.
The American Spark
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
For McCain And Neo-Cons, U.S.-Bred Fascism Is All That's Left
By Cliff Montgomery - Oct. 12th, 2008
It was refreshing to see the John McCain of 2000 finally show up on the 2008 campaign trail.
The last several days had shown an increasingly ugly ambition from the Arizona senator and former maverick,
as slanderous statements from the GOP presidential nominee and his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah
Palin, have accused Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama (D-IL) of everything from hating America
to being a terrorist.
The inevitable result of such villainous deceit and appeals to raw emotion has been on display at Republican
rallies in the last several days. Crowds of whipped-up voters--already anxious at Obama's steady increase in
the polls--have cried out with frenzied shouts of "treason!" "traitor!" "terrorist!" and the telling "kill him!" and "off
with his head!" This often has occurred right in front of McCain and Palin, without so much as as a raise of the
eyebrows from either of them.
Intelligent pundits like David Gergen have called such activity from the GOP nominees the actions of mere
"rabble-rousers." Jon Stewart was much closer to the truth when he only half-jokingly said that the recent
McCain and Palin rallies were beginning to sound like the last days of the Weimar Republic--the days in
Germany when a wild-eyed Adolf Hitler would employ a constant barrage of misrepresentation and
name-calling on political opponents to stir crowds into fits of murderous rage.
Senator McCain (R-AZ) apparently couldn't take anymore. At a "town hall" rally in Minnesota, McCain began
correcting the flat-out lies and smears about Obama being stated by supporters--slanders his own campaign
has gleefully embraced.
"I don't trust Obama," one woman said into the mic.
"I have read about him. He's an Arab," she declared.
The Arizona senator shook his head, grabbed the microphone from the woman, and declared:
"No, ma'am. He's a decent, family man, a citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on
fundamental issues and that's what this campaign is all about."
When another supporter said he was "scared" of Senator Obama, McCain replied:
"I have to tell you, he is a decent person and a person that you do not have to be scared of as president of the
United States."
Perhaps tellingly, many in the crowd booed at that comment.
"If you want a fight, we will fight," McCain told the disappointed crowd.
"But we will be respectful. I admire Sen. Obama and his accomplishments," he added.
When the wolves howled at such a show of decency, the Arizona senator cut them off.
The displays at recent rallies, egged on by an increasingly desperate GOP, have revealed a painful truth about
the modern Republican movement. Nixon's creation of the "Southern Strategy" in the late 1960's--a movement
designed to appeal to the Midwest and Deep South's fear and rage over the passage of the Civil Rights Act of
1964--was crafted to mask blatant fascist sympathies as a serious concern for "state's rights."
This has allowed increasingly militant, reactionary groups to hold great sway over a large bloc of the U.S.
electorate. Until recently they had been able to make America ever more reactionary, by hiding their prejudices
behind a veil of false rhetoric and jingoism.
Neo-conservatives thus mastered a well-polished, finely-tuned method of political attack. It employs a
disarmingly simple, but effective, four-step process:
1.) Lie like hell;
2.) Deny everything when the lies are exposed;
3.) When denials no longer work, pretend to be personally offended and accuse your opponent of every evil
under the sun.
4.) When all else fails, give violence a chance.
But then George W. Bush was given the White House. He tried lying, but his lies were so blatant--and often so
damned absurd--that pretty soon people stopped listening. Then he tried denying every failure and misstep
under the sun, but it took only a few intrepid reporters to expose those denials of reality. Then he played the
fake outrage card, calling every person smart enough to disagree with him every dirty name in the book. But his
failures have been so great, even that just doesn't work anymore.
That's why neo-conservatism has lurched into nothing more than paranoid screams and raw fury before our
very eyes. The movement hasn't had to reveal this ugly side of itself since the 1960's; but with no means of
manipulation left--and nothing of value to offer the people--the movement has to play its final card, and reveal
itself for the American-bred fascism it really is.
It was good to see the John McCain of 2000 briefly return, and rally against such ugliness. But it probably won't
last. Having released the hounds of Hell in a final act of desperation, McCain won't be able to put them back
into the kennel anytime soon...presuming he really wants to do so.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - Oct. 12th, 2008
It was refreshing to see the John McCain of 2000 finally show up on the 2008 campaign trail.
The last several days had shown an increasingly ugly ambition from the Arizona senator and former maverick,
as slanderous statements from the GOP presidential nominee and his running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah
Palin, have accused Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama (D-IL) of everything from hating America
to being a terrorist.
The inevitable result of such villainous deceit and appeals to raw emotion has been on display at Republican
rallies in the last several days. Crowds of whipped-up voters--already anxious at Obama's steady increase in
the polls--have cried out with frenzied shouts of "treason!" "traitor!" "terrorist!" and the telling "kill him!" and "off
with his head!" This often has occurred right in front of McCain and Palin, without so much as as a raise of the
eyebrows from either of them.
Intelligent pundits like David Gergen have called such activity from the GOP nominees the actions of mere
"rabble-rousers." Jon Stewart was much closer to the truth when he only half-jokingly said that the recent
McCain and Palin rallies were beginning to sound like the last days of the Weimar Republic--the days in
Germany when a wild-eyed Adolf Hitler would employ a constant barrage of misrepresentation and
name-calling on political opponents to stir crowds into fits of murderous rage.
Senator McCain (R-AZ) apparently couldn't take anymore. At a "town hall" rally in Minnesota, McCain began
correcting the flat-out lies and smears about Obama being stated by supporters--slanders his own campaign
has gleefully embraced.
"I don't trust Obama," one woman said into the mic.
"I have read about him. He's an Arab," she declared.
The Arizona senator shook his head, grabbed the microphone from the woman, and declared:
"No, ma'am. He's a decent, family man, a citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on
fundamental issues and that's what this campaign is all about."
When another supporter said he was "scared" of Senator Obama, McCain replied:
"I have to tell you, he is a decent person and a person that you do not have to be scared of as president of the
United States."
Perhaps tellingly, many in the crowd booed at that comment.
"If you want a fight, we will fight," McCain told the disappointed crowd.
"But we will be respectful. I admire Sen. Obama and his accomplishments," he added.
When the wolves howled at such a show of decency, the Arizona senator cut them off.
The displays at recent rallies, egged on by an increasingly desperate GOP, have revealed a painful truth about
the modern Republican movement. Nixon's creation of the "Southern Strategy" in the late 1960's--a movement
designed to appeal to the Midwest and Deep South's fear and rage over the passage of the Civil Rights Act of
1964--was crafted to mask blatant fascist sympathies as a serious concern for "state's rights."
This has allowed increasingly militant, reactionary groups to hold great sway over a large bloc of the U.S.
electorate. Until recently they had been able to make America ever more reactionary, by hiding their prejudices
behind a veil of false rhetoric and jingoism.
Neo-conservatives thus mastered a well-polished, finely-tuned method of political attack. It employs a
disarmingly simple, but effective, four-step process:
1.) Lie like hell;
2.) Deny everything when the lies are exposed;
3.) When denials no longer work, pretend to be personally offended and accuse your opponent of every evil
under the sun.
4.) When all else fails, give violence a chance.
But then George W. Bush was given the White House. He tried lying, but his lies were so blatant--and often so
damned absurd--that pretty soon people stopped listening. Then he tried denying every failure and misstep
under the sun, but it took only a few intrepid reporters to expose those denials of reality. Then he played the
fake outrage card, calling every person smart enough to disagree with him every dirty name in the book. But his
failures have been so great, even that just doesn't work anymore.
That's why neo-conservatism has lurched into nothing more than paranoid screams and raw fury before our
very eyes. The movement hasn't had to reveal this ugly side of itself since the 1960's; but with no means of
manipulation left--and nothing of value to offer the people--the movement has to play its final card, and reveal
itself for the American-bred fascism it really is.
It was good to see the John McCain of 2000 briefly return, and rally against such ugliness. But it probably won't
last. Having released the hounds of Hell in a final act of desperation, McCain won't be able to put them back
into the kennel anytime soon...presuming he really wants to do so.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
*Privacy Policy: We use
third-party advertising
companies to serve ads
when you visit our website.
These companies may use
information (not including
your name, address, email
address, or telephone
number) about your visits to
this and other websites in
order to provide
advertisements about goods
and services of interest to
you. If you would like more
information about this
practice and to know your
choices about not having this
information used by these
companies, click here.
third-party advertising
companies to serve ads
when you visit our website.
These companies may use
information (not including
your name, address, email
address, or telephone
number) about your visits to
this and other websites in
order to provide
advertisements about goods
and services of interest to
you. If you would like more
information about this
practice and to know your
choices about not having this
information used by these
companies, click here.