The point has been made in recent years that President George W. Bush is a Nazi/fascist. This is the typical rhetoric of children who know nothing of politics but feel that calling someone a fascist will help them look sophisticated.
However, some of these children have gotten dangerously close to legitimizing this otherwise baseless argument by describing the main features of fascism -- and offering examples of how President Bush and Republicans have met those standards.
You can find one such article at the Council for Secular Humanism written by Laurence Britt. After reviewing this article, I realized that these arguments could easily be made about any and every American president. Naturally, I’ve decided to take the articles main points verbatim, and write a rebuttal, using President Clinton’s record in order to paint him as a fascist.
Do I really think Clinton was a fascist? No. My point is to show how easy it is to make this argument. Furthermore, if this is the standard that a liberal would use to call President Bush a fascist, then the fact is that their beloved first black president, B.J. Clinton, is a Hitler incarnate.
Again, I stress that these 14 main points are not my own -- though the commentary is -- and have been used against President Bush by toddlers to “prove” he is a fascist.
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
Whether you like to admit it or not, nationalism has always been strong in America. The one exception may be during the Vietnam era, although nationalism still existed. The point is that it is dumb to pin nationalism on the Bush Administration.
Even the liberal god - Howard Zinn himself - accused the Clinton administration of harmful nationalism. “Liberals today criticize George Bush's unilateralism. But it was Clinton's Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, who told the United Nations Security Council that the U.S. would act 'multilaterally when we can, unilaterally when we must.” That is just one tidbit of the "powerful and continuing nationalism" that occurred under President Clinton.
Another example can be seen in perhaps the most arrogant quote by an American President: "There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America." Pure American arrogance. He seems to be saying that America is the all-knowing beacon of truth in the world and that we, as a country, could not possibly learn anything from a foreigner. Such a view of the world can only be brought about by a dangerous and blinding love for one's country.
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - alessandro Nicolo
Light disagreements in parts but overall I tend to concur. As a history graduate, I cringe at the leaps of faiths made with how people treat the facts of history. It seems people come up with all sorts of "pet" analogies pulled completely out of context to prove a contemporary point.
There is such a thing as intellectual discipline and honesty. Those who hold true to this are pushed aside these days and the media are all too willing to give space to modern pseudo-intellectual alchemists.
Therein lies the fear. That the Bush to Nazi lineage does become part of the prevailing collective cultural perception. Once that happens it does not matter what the history books say. People have come to believe it.
2 - sr
Media Tycoon. How unfair of you trying to confuse liberal's with facts.
3 - Media Tycoon
Again, my point is not to smear liberals (although that may occur in this article). My point is that if Bush is a Nazi, then so is Bill Clinton...and I would bet, every American president in history.
4 - Black Hole
G.W. Bush may or may not be a fascist but he certainly is an EMBARRASSMENT. It is even more embarrassing to read this partisan opinion which compares GWB to another mediocre politician like Bill Clinton. Seriously? Compare bad against bad?
5 - Graham McKnight
Media Tycoon, I may heavily criticise the administration for some of its domestic and most of its foreign policies, but Clinton was most definitly not a Nazi.
I find it hard to gather the strength needed to convince you of this point, so I shan't. On a sid enote, however, I do ask (from a long list of questions that I could ask of you about this spurious article); how is it that a desire to limit the sale of guns makes Clinton comparable to a Nazi?
6 - Lee Richards
George Bush is nothing in particular. There is more than enough evidence to show that he has no core beliefs or basic principles. He can be swayed and convinced, led and bamboozled. His ego tells him he's a great leader;his handlers only need to give him enough rope to work their will.
The Clintons are two of our great national embarassments of all time. If they weren't so selfish they would have done us the favor of retiring from public life a long time ago.
7 - Dave Nalle
Graham, his pointis not that Clinton was or is a Nazi, but that if judged by the same standards by which people (most of whom revere Clinton) judge Bush to be a fascist, then Clinton would have to be called a Nazi or a Fascist too. I find it hard to believe that was too subtle a point for anyone.
Dave
8 - moonraven
The US is an empire founded on genocide.
That's more important than whether it is a fascist state.
Fascism is everyhwhere. It did not die with Franco.
9 - troll
interesting that the author dismisses the protection of corporations - a hallmark of fascist politics - with: *Who knows what this is supposed to mean...*
makes me question his grasp of his subject
here's your bumper sticker for this thread: Italy lost the war but won the peace
as for dee and dum - the pair are peanut butter and jelly
10 - sr
Graham Mcknight#5. Are you serious asking how is it that a desire to limit the sale of guns makes Clinton comparable to a Nazi? Well Graham after reading some history feel free to ask 6+million Jews, untold numbers of gypsires, homosectuals, the german populist, and more then I can mention. You say you lack the strength to convince us of your point. Do you have the strength to place a sign in front of your house that states this home is a gun free home. How do you think the frecking scum sucking Nazi's were so succesful. Take their guns away and it's just a walk through the park. That's what the liberal type Clinton's are still trying to do. Please tell me you are not that foolish. If so send me your address.
11 - Media Tycoon
#5
That was kind of an embarrassing question...read up on some history. The first thing the Nazis did when they invaded France was take away guns from everyone. If I may suggest the novel Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky…the gun situation is addressed in that book and it is a very good read.
Also, if you read what I wrote, I never said Clinton was a Nazi (other than in the title). I said if you think Bush is a Nazi, then you must think Clinton is too.
I don't like either president. Let’s get that clear.
#9 when I said "whatever this means" I was asking how Bush protected big business. Sure our government protects business, and we should.
business = jobs
jobs = money
money = happiness
That was kind of a job, but you get the idea. We all need jobs and business facilitates that. I just don’t see how President Bush has helped business more than any other American president. The fact is he has not.
That doesn’t mean I love him and that doesn't mean I hate him, it just is what it is.
12 - Dave Nalle
The US is an empire founded on genocide.
Or, if you prefer the truth, the US is not an empire and most nations have some genocide in their history, generally not more or less than the US does.
Dave
13 - sr
Media Tycoon. Right on the money. Thank you. Since your a Tycoon send some bucks to my friend Jet in Columbus. He is a good man and could use your help. Thanks, sr
14 - Media Tycoon
I said that was kind of a "job"
...i meant "joke"
15 - sr
I know Tycoon. Send him what you can please.
16 - Media Tycoon
to be honest, the term tycoon is more of an ambition than a reality, but when I actually achieve that status, I will send him what I can.
17 - Shaun
Wow, the ignorance is appalling here. I don't mean to praise Clinton, I couldn't care less about the left vs. right debate, but Bush is a fraud.
Bush has consistently acted to remove civil liberties (See New York's fight on crime to see it slowly coming into effect) - that's FASCIST.
Since Bush has entered office, the government has increased its # of private contracts... Get this, NO BID Contracts... Corporatism is a form of fascism.
Oh, and if you look back into history (for all of you self proclaimed intellectuals), please note how George W. Bush's grandfather funded IG Farben (German nationalized company) DURING WW2.
Is that fascist enough for you? :)
18 - Media Tycoon
#17
By reading your response I know you didnt actually read what I wrote...
However I must address one thing you said...
So if G W Bush's grandfather did something bad he must be bad too?
seriously...wtf are you talking about?
Did your great great grandfather own slaves? By your own logic, if he did, then you hate blacks.
You are on a roll. Keep it up.
and also...since when is Bush responsible for fighting crime in NYC?
Are you a real person? This must be some sort of spam.
19 - Dr Dreadful
Dave #12:
We've been over this before, but since the US acquired much of its territory through conquest, invasion, deception and downright thievery, it does qualify as an empire.
It just doesn't call itself one.
20 - moonraven
And Dave Nalle dismisses genocide as merely a "booger" left on the keyboard....