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However, that's where the analogies end, because fascism is not just an economic, but a political and racial theory. Nonetheless, Obama's involvement in the financial sector and his efforts to save the auto industry do stir fears that the government is encroaching on private enterprise, or, for socialists among us, taking over the means of production. After all, when was the last time a president of the United States demanded the resignation of a CEO and a corporate board of directors? Presidents Bush and Obama are the only recent presidents to exercise such power: Bush oversaw changes in control at American International Group Inc. (NYSE:AIG), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, while Obama ousted General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM) chief Rick Wagoner (and he may not end there, as there is speculation he may eventually force out bank executives too, and next month's potentially horrible earnings season may be the time to do so). Moreover, Obama's statements and recent actions on the GM and Chrysler LLC cases do suggest that he has some penchant toward industrial policy, particularly in his oft-stated desire for fuel-efficient cars. But industrial policy is hardly the same as fascism, socialism or a Soviet-planned economy. Indeed, none of these actions are unprecedented in the U.S. Dwight Eisenhower worried about the military-industrial complex. Richard Nixon attempted wage and price controls, which bombed entirely. Many presidents dabbled in industrial policy, including Jimmy Carter with his giant -- and failed -- synfuels project. And, of course, the best examples come from Franklin Roosevelt's early New Deal programs -- most notably the National Recovery Administration, which gave the executive authority to dictate wages, prices and to set wide-ranging industrial policies. It too was deemed fascist by some critics, socialist by others, and it was eventually declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
What will become of Obama's efforts to master a greater swath of the economy? Will there be court challenges? Will they work? And if they do, will they be abandoned when the recovery begins, or expanded and institutionalized as a means to stave off future instability? One thing is certain, there will be a referendum on them in 2012 when, as the Constitution promises, we get to vote for a president again. How many fascist states can say that? - Matthew Wurtzel
CategoriesComments
From: Daylo,
fas?cism:
Posted on:
April 1, 2009 6:44 PM
From: Cristo,
The "Daily Show," you're quoting from the Daily Show? Not much authority, it's supposed to be a comedy act, and it has a hard time rising to that level.
Posted on:
April 11, 2009 2:27 PM
From: Matthew Wurtzel
 ,
Cristo, I only mentioned "The Daily Show" in passing to emphasize the comedy in the accusations that President Obama is a fascist. In fact, I never quote from the show. I also cited The Atlantic's Megan McArdle, whose blog post on the topic was the original springboard for this post. Since I wrote the post, the accusations continue on cable TV despite the absurdity of the claims as I illustrated. Matt Wurtzel
Posted on:
April 13, 2009 5:27 PM
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Over at The Atlantic, Megan McArdle 
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IS AMERICAN ON THE ROAD TO FASCISM?
Mr. G. Richard Wagoner, the chairman and chief executive officer of General Motors, was recently forced to resign his position because of pressure from the Obama administration. He was told that if he didn’t leave, the Obama administration would not give General Motors any more federal bailout money. President Obama also told General Motors and the Chrysler Corporation that if they wanted more federal bailout money, they would have to shrink and refocus their businesses according to his (the federal government’s) wishes.
In our country’s history, there have been some limited instances of the federal government exercising some sort of control over private industry, but that was during wartime. The current assault on American capitalism by the Obama administration is unprecedented in both its scope and speed and should raise the red flag of alarm for all freedom-loving Americans.
World history has shown us that the implementation of strict government controls over private industries has been one of the first steps in the introduction of various forms of Fascism to formerly free countries. The practice of a government taking control of private industries was refined by Benito Mussolini in Italy in the 1920’s and it is called ‘corporatism.’
According to Wikipedia, political scientists use the term ‘corporatism’ to describe “a practice whereby a state, through the process of licensing and regulating officially-incorporated social, religious, economic, or popular organizations, effectively co-opts their leadership or circumscribes their ability to challenge state authority by establishing the state as the source of their legitimacy, as well as sometimes running them, either directly or indirectly.” Mussolini described it more simply when he said, "Fascism should more appropriately be called corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power."
Some corporatist-style regimes of the 20th century included those of Benito Mussolini of Italy (1922-1945), Adolph Hitler of Germany (1933 to 1945); Francisco Franco of Spain (1936 to 1973); Juan Peron of Argentina (1943 to 1955) and even our own President Franklin Roosevelt (1933 to 1945) during the ‘New Deal.’ The Mussolini, Hitler, Franco and Peron regimes were brutal, totalitarian, Fascist dictatorships, but not all the regimes that had a corporatist foundation were fascist. The Roosevelt administration, despite its many faults, could not be described as fascist, but the ‘New Deal’ program was definitely corporatist.
Corporatism boils down to this: The government tells industry (and eventually labor unions) what to do and that they must do it for the supposed good of the country, or else their individual leaders will pay a price. Does this sound similar to what is happening to the auto industry today?
Where in the U.S. Constitution does it authorize the President of the United States to fire the head of a major private corporation just because he disagrees with his management policies? Where in the U.S. Constitution does it authorize the President of the United States to decide what kind of cars a private company will build? or what kind of car I will drive? President Barack 'Mussolini' Obama is taking this country down a very dangerous road and a road that America has never taken before.
Confucius said “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Are the ‘corporatist’ policies of President Obama and his administration just the first steps of many in a move towards a government takeover of our major industries? Are these policies much different than those that Mussolini and Hitler initiated in the early stages of their rise to power?
With the Politburo in our expanding federal government now having the power to hire and fire the leaders of major private corporations and to tell the auto makers what cars they can produce, will they soon be telling Americans what kind of cars they can drive; how much money they can earn; where they can go to school, what sodas they can drink, what foods they can’t eat, where they can travel, what national ID card they must carry at all times and it will impose any number of other restrictions on them. Look at California, where the state legislature is currently considering banning black cars by 2012, for some bogus global warming reason.
Thomas Jefferson said: “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.” Americans must remember that we cannot fully enjoy our freedoms and liberties in America unless we keep our government limited. As our government grows and becomes more intrusive, as it is today, it is our freedoms and liberties that are becoming limited.
Welcome to the United Socialist States of America!
If we continue on President Obama’s road to CHANGE (socialism), the American people will no longer be free. The question is: “Will we learn to accept our captivity at the hands of our new masters or will we be willing to do something about it?”