Archive for the Fascism Watch Category

Truth be damned, of course

An insightful article from the Wall Street Journal highlighting the maniacal partisanship of Henry Waxman. This doesn’t surprise me at all and makes me wonder if I should create a new category for topics entitled ‘Ho Hum’.

Mr. Waxman doesn’t much care if any of this is true, because his larger goal is to send a message to every Inspector General in government: They answer to him. Mr. Waxman expects them to tee up political scandals in the executive branch and serve as witnesses for his prosecution whether or not the facts support it.

Edwards: Garnish Wages If Needed

Once again we’re confronted with the fact that it’s the Dems who are the fascists. On display in this article from ABC news is their penchant for proscribing upon you how you need to spend your money, and if not done in the way they’ve proscribed, well then, they’ll just take it from you and spend it on your behalf. How special. How caring. How progressive.

If a person did not meet his or her monthly financial obligation for a set period of time (perhaps a year, perhaps longer) the Edwards plan would empower the federal government to garnish an individual’s wages for purposes of collecting “back premiums with interest and collection costs.”

Mr. Edwards can take his fascism and shove it up his arse.

Fascism Watch: The crushing of dissent

When it comes to the flexing of dictatorial muscle, you cannot top the Dems. In the Repub dominated Congress Dems were allowed a last chance to amend or kill a bill during floor debate by offering a motion to recommit, or send the measure back to a committee with orders to make specified changes. Well Steny Hoyer will have no more of that

“We don’t think that’s appropriate,” Hoyer said. “We don’t think that serves the legislative process, and we’re going to address that.”

It’s a power grab, which if done with Repugs in charge would have been lambasted from every news outlet in the country. But Dems are in charge now so it will be ignored, and if not ignored, cheered on.

From The Corner

The real ideologues

There’s been much canter walling  about Rupert  Murdoch  being a right wing ideologue running a right wing propaganda machine named Fox News.  Well, now we have a journalist coming clean about the pressures brought to bear against him to write articles with a specific bias.  From Junk Science

You were right. I am being told what to write.

In fact, I’ve even been threatened with the law if I don’t toe the line on global warming, which news outfits like ours now use to sell themselves to young readers.

Read the rest.

Facism Watch: secret ballots are right out!

When it comes to voting everyone just naturally assumes that the most fair way to do it is by secret ballot, especially on the big decisions. Well, everyone except the fascists. From the Washington Times:

That window has taken the form of the cleverly worded Employee Free Choice Act, which strips workers of their right to a secret ballot in union recognition elections. Instead, it would force workers to submit to a “card check” — a process that places them at risk of intimidation, coercion and threats from labor bosses, all to get them to sign a card to demonstrate their “support” for unionization.

That’s right, you’ll be forced to march up to the front and sign your pledge to support the union. If you don’t, well, WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

As if this isn’t enough, marvel at the hypocrisy:

What’s truly amazing about the Big Labor and congressional Democratic push for the card check bill is the absolute hypocrisy of it all. The labor bosses behind the effort to strip workers of their rights to a private ballot in union organization elections are the very same people who have argued passionately for such rights in union decertification elections. In fact, using quite stirring language, Big Labor once told the National Labor Relations Board that the secret ballot election is a “solemn” occasion, imperative to preserving “privacy and independence.”
But Big Labor doesn’t have a monopoly on hypocrisy in this debate. Congressional Democrats are giving them a run for their money. Consider this: Writing to Mexican — yes, Mexican — officials in August 2001 in advance of an election between two competing labor unions in that country, 16 House Democrats — 11 of whom remain in the House and sponsor the card-check bill, including the bill’s lead sponsor himself, Rep. George Miller of California — plainly stated: “We understand that the secret ballot is allowed for, but not required by Mexican labor law. We feel that the secret ballot is absolutely necessary in order to ensure workers are not intimidated into voting for a union they may otherwise not choose.” Not only do Democratic card-check proponents seem to support rights for Mexican workers that they aren’t even willing to protect for their own constituents, but they also have admitted that the process is deeply flawed and prone to intimidation.

Fascism:

2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control

Facism Watch: Mrs. Clinton confiscates your wealth

Hillary looks at private sector profits and thinks one thing: All Your Profits Are Belong To Us.

“The other day the oil companies reported the highest profit in the history of the world. I want to take those profits and I want to put them into a strategic energy fund that will begin to fund alternative, smart engergy alternatives and technologies that will begin to actually move us toward the direction of independence.”

I wonder, in her mind does anything exist that the government cannot control?

Fascism:

2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control

Fascism Watch: Get on the government list!

Harry Reid (D) has introduced a bill that would…

registration of bloggers with more than 500 readers, and who comment on policy issues.

Via Arms and the Law some relevant portions of the proposed law…

FILING BY GRASSROOTS LOBBYING FIRMS- Not later than 45 days after a grassroots lobbying firm first is retained by a client to engage in paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying, such grassroots lobbying firm shall register with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives.’.

Translation: registration of a thing is always the precursor to regulation of that thing.

The list of democrat allies decrying the Bush admin’s supposed intrusion into the private lives of Americans is legion. Will the list be just as long decrying this intrusion? Of course not.

Fascism:

2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control

Via The Corner

Fascism Watch: More gov’t control over your money

From the Washington Post:

The Senate Finance Committee is considering a proposal to sharply limit the earnings corporate executives and other highly paid employees can place tax-free into deferred compensation plans, one of the most popular executive benefits in corporate America.

Translation: there’s a whole lotta money changing hands out there that we don’t have our grubby little hands in - let’s make a law.

Fascism:

2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control

Inaugural Fascism Watch post

Now that the dem’s have taken over, I thought it apropos to begin a regular series on this blog highlighting any attempts they may make at moving this country towards fascism, a charge they levied constantly against the republicans.

First up, Dennis Kucinich and his upcoming attempt to bring back the so-called Fairness Doctrine:

In addition to media ownership, the committee is expected to focus its attention on issues such as net neutrality and major telecommunications mergers. Also in consideration is the “Fairness Doctrine,” which required broadcasters to present controversial topics in a fair and honest manner. It was enforced until it was eliminated in 1987.

Kucinich said in his speech that “We know the media has become the servant of a very narrow corporate agenda” and added “we are now in a position to move a progressive agenda to where it is visible.”

Translation: there’s too much free speech going on here, we need to curtail it ’cause we don’t like what we’re hearing.

Fascism:

2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control

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