GOP PAC Setting up Websites and Social Media Sites Masquerading as Local Newspapers in Swing States.

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

pmv

Lifer
May 30, 2008
13,636
8,522
136
This is, literally, how fascism takes over. It is no other way.

Purely to be contrarian, I have to point out mis-represented webistes weren't central to Franco's civil-war strategry or to Mussolini's "March On Rome" (when, of course, they mostly went by train...so I guess there was some misrepresentation right there).

Misrepresentation and, perhaps even more, concealing sources of funding, does seem to be a dominant conservative tactic everywhere now. But I'm not sure it's specifically fascist. It's just how the wealthy have always operated when it comes to politics.
 

pmv

Lifer
May 30, 2008
13,636
8,522
136
There are a vast number of right-wing lobby groups, masquarading as 'think tanks' (and, even more risibly, as 'charities') out there, most of which refuse to say who their funders are. And then there are the phoney 'grass-roots' organizations, that in reality are controlled and funded by the industries whose interests they promote - including certain 'sticking up for the motorist' groups that are run and funded entirely by the road haulage and coach industries.

It pisses me off, but I'm just quibbling at the implied assertion that fascism only comes to power that way or that that tactic alone makes it all about the f-word. Trump's fascistic tendencies would exist regardless of this sort of thing, and this sort of thing seems to be an inevitable consequence of the existence of very rich people.

I realise I'm just quibbling though.
 

ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
38,201
18,670
146
Will conservatives will finally get a solid social media platform so they can't be forcibly strong armed into Facebook or Twitter? Huzzah!

#fakenews #bowling_green #never_remember
 

DarthKyrie

Golden Member
Jul 11, 2016
1,545
1,305
146
We need to remember that this was New York City's Madison Square Garden in 1939. How many of these "people" and their descendants still live amongst us?


There was also a fascist coup plotted against FDR that was supposed to be led by General Smedley Butler who played along just long enough to find out who was behind that coup.


Edit: I forgot to mention no one went to jail or was executed as a result of this, too many fat cats of industry and finance behind it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Meghan54

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,136
30,085
146
Fascism has become overused in these forums to the point that the term is meaningless, and zin’s post was generic to the point of saying water is wet. @Corn is the only person who can answer how he interpreted it. I zzz’ed at your fallacy fallacy.

How is fascism being "overused" when the practice described in the OP is exactly one of the primary stages that brought Mussolini, Franco, and later Hitler into power?

Please explain how you do not see this organized, dark-money creation of exactly fake news empires, by advertisers and oligarchs, to create propaganda masking as news. Please explain how that it is any fucking different.

You need to stop twiddling your thumbs, pretending the things that are happening aren't actually happening, and wake the fuck up, bro. None of this could possibly be tolerated in this country. Never.

I honestly have no idea why you are absolutely determined to believe that these people have your best interest in their mind, so you just blindly trust that "they'll figure it all out." This activity is a fucking carbon copy of what happened throughout Europe, the middle east, and later southeast Asia in response to WW1. You can map this shit out on, on a point-by-point basis.

Are you going to seek forgiveness for letting this all happen, 20 years later, while you lay on the smoldering husk that was once your house?

I suggest that you get your ass to the Holocaust Museum and re-educate yourself about how exactly that happens: 1940+ isn't nearly as important as 1920-1937.
 

Starbuck1975

Lifer
Jan 6, 2005
14,698
1,909
126
How is fascism being "overused" when the practice described in the OP is exactly one of the primary stages that brought Mussolini, Franco, and later Hitler into power?

Please explain how you do not see this organized, dark-money creation of exactly fake news empires, by advertisers and oligarchs, to create propaganda masking as news. Please explain how that it is any fucking different.

You need to stop twiddling your thumbs, pretending the things that are happening aren't actually happening, and wake the fuck up, bro. None of this could possibly be tolerated in this country. Never.

I honestly have no idea why you are absolutely determined to believe that these people have your best interest in their mind, so you just blindly trust that "they'll figure it all out." This activity is a fucking carbon copy of what happened throughout Europe, the middle east, and later southeast Asia in response to WW1. You can map this shit out on, on a point-by-point basis.

Are you going to seek forgiveness for letting this all happen, 20 years later, while you lay on the smoldering husk that was once your house?

I suggest that you get your ass to the Holocaust Museum and re-educate yourself about how exactly that happens: 1940+ isn't nearly as important as 1920-1937.
Been to the Holocaust museum, concentration camps in Germany and mass grave sites in the Balkans. I stood in a room that Serbs used to rape and murder Bosnian Muslim women, with etch marks on the wall to document their scores. I don’t need a lecture on fascism. What I do know is that fascists would never tolerate a special investigation into their financial dealings. Fascism would never allow the opposition party to win the legislature and provide oversight.

Trump may exhibit some traits of fascism, but what I see in no way equates to the Nazi’s rise to power. Trump’s rise mirrors what we are seeing in many western societies, which is a response to and in some ways rejection of globalization.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
56,537
16,311
146
Been to the Holocaust museum, concentration camps in Germany and mass grave sites in the Balkans. I stood in a room that Serbs used to rape and murder Bosnian Muslim women, with etch marks on the wall to document their scores. I don’t need a lecture on fascism. What I do know is that fascists would never tolerate a special investigation into their financial dealings. Fascism would never allow the opposition party to win the legislature and provide oversight.

Trump may exhibit some traits of fascism, but what I see in no way equates to the Nazi’s rise to power. Trump’s rise mirrors what we are seeing in many western societies, which is a response to and in some ways rejection of globalization.

Gerrymandering, voter suppression, a cult like following that believes even loss is victory.

You don't think that everything you said there is not the end game?

Fascists don't seize power. They gain power democratically or faux democratically it then never let go of it.

Curious how, in all your travels, you never took the time to see the time lines and how they got into power.

If conservatives become convinced that they can't win democratically, they won't abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy.

And that is how fascism has always started.

In point of fact, how The Star Wars prequels depicted the rise of fascism is historically accurate.

It is never seized. It is voted in with cheers and applause as people like you throw your freedoms away for making the right people hurt.
 

Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
62,365
14,681
136
Gerrymandering, voter suppression, a cult like following that believes even loss is victory.

You don't think that everything you said there is not the end game?

Fascists don't seize power. They gain power democratically or faux democratically it then never let go of it.

Curious how, in all your travels, you never took the time to see the time lines and how they got into power.

If conservatives become convinced that they can't win democratically, they won't abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy.

And that is how fascism has always started.

In point of fact, how The Star Wars prequels depicted the rise of fascism is historically accurate.

It is never seized. It is voted in with cheers and applause as people like you throw your freedoms away for making the right people hurt.

Fuck your feelings, Libtard!
 

snoopy7548

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2005
8,126
5,151
146
Been to the Holocaust museum, concentration camps in Germany and mass grave sites in the Balkans. I stood in a room that Serbs used to rape and murder Bosnian Muslim women, with etch marks on the wall to document their scores. I don’t need a lecture on fascism. What I do know is that fascists would never tolerate a special investigation into their financial dealings. Fascism would never allow the opposition party to win the legislature and provide oversight.

Trump may exhibit some traits of fascism, but what I see in no way equates to the Nazi’s rise to power. Trump’s rise mirrors what we are seeing in many western societies, which is a response to and in some ways rejection of globalization.

It's not something that just happens overnight, you know.
 

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,859
4,976
126
Been to the Holocaust museum, concentration camps in Germany and mass grave sites in the Balkans. I stood in a room that Serbs used to rape and murder Bosnian Muslim women, with etch marks on the wall to document their scores. I don’t need a lecture on fascism. What I do know is that fascists would never tolerate a special investigation into their financial dealings. Fascism would never allow the opposition party to win the legislature and provide oversight.

Trump may exhibit some traits of fascism, but what I see in no way equates to the Nazi’s rise to power. Trump’s rise mirrors what we are seeing in many western societies, which is a response to and in some ways rejection of globalization.

Ok, let's entertain and respect your opinion of "fascism is thrown around too often and it's lost meaning". Would you say that the article in the OP resembles traits and indications of the early stages of fascism, similar to those used by Hitler, Mussolini etc?
 
  • Like
Reactions: DarthKyrie

Starbuck1975

Lifer
Jan 6, 2005
14,698
1,909
126
Gerrymandering, voter suppression, a cult like following that believes even loss is victory.

You don't think that everything you said there is not the end game?

Fascists don't seize power. They gain power democratically or faux democratically it then never let go of it.

Curious how, in all your travels, you never took the time to see the time lines and how they got into power.

If conservatives become convinced that they can't win democratically, they won't abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy.

And that is how fascism has always started.

In point of fact, how The Star Wars prequels depicted the rise of fascism is historically accurate.

It is never seized. It is voted in with cheers and applause as people like you throw your freedoms away for making the right people hurt.
In all of the historical examples of fascism, to include Senator Palpatine, there existed no opposition to keep those tendencies in check while it was happening. Even the Jedi were clueless to what was happening.

Republican appointees and Republicans themselves are at the forefront of investigations into Trump. The electorate just purged the House and came close to purging the Senate. The Democrat led House is building a credible case for impeachment.

This is not fascism. The GOP may be abandoning democracy, and democracy in turn is abandoning them.

In all my travels, different conditions led to the rise of fascism. Hitler exploited economic conditions and German anger over WW1 reparations. Mussolini evoked images of when Italy was the heart of an empire. Milosevic exploited the lingering tensions of ethnic identity that emerged after Tito’s regime collapsed. In all of those cases, the majority embraced a nationalist agenda to cheers and parades. I wouldn’t say our society is enthusiastically embracing Trump.
 

Starbuck1975

Lifer
Jan 6, 2005
14,698
1,909
126
Ok, let's entertain and respect your opinion of "fascism is thrown around too often and it's lost meaning". Would you say that the article in the OP resembles traits and indications of the early stages of fascism, similar to those used by Hitler, Mussolini etc?
I already acknowledged that Trump exhibits traits of a fascist. He also exhibits traits of a mob leader.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
56,537
16,311
146
In all of the historical examples of fascism, to include Senator Palpatine, there existed no opposition to keep those tendencies in check while it was happening. Even the Jedi were clueless to what was happening.

Republican appointees and Republicans themselves are at the forefront of investigations into Trump. The electorate just purged the House and came close to purging the Senate. The Democrat led House is building a credible case for impeachment.

This is not fascism. The GOP may be abandoning democracy, and democracy in turn is abandoning them.

In all my travels, different conditions led to the rise of fascism. Hitler exploited economic conditions and German anger over WW1 reparations. Mussolini evoked images of when Italy was the heart of an empire. Milosevic exploited the lingering tensions of ethnic identity that emerged after Tito’s regime collapsed. In all of those cases, the majority embraced a nationalist agenda to cheers and parades. I wouldn’t say our society is enthusiastically embracing Trump.

Wow. You said all that yet...

Oh fuck it I'll just draw a picture...

(Hitler exploited economic conditions and German anger over WW1 reparations.)

Appealing to middle america's lost coal and other jobs, white nationalist and white male anger, lock her up, etc...

(Mussolini evoked images of when Italy was the heart of an empire.)

MAGA!!!!

(Milosevic exploited the lingering tensions of ethnic identity that emerged after Tito’s regime collapsed)

Build that wall! Very fine people on both sides! Mexico sends their drug dealers and rapists. A total shutdown on Muslims in the US. Fuck, I could go on and on...

And guess what? None of these leaders were supported by a clear majority. All, even Hitler,. had sub 50% support . All you need is a fanatical 40ish support to unravel a democratic republic.

What is sad, is you posted the answers, but were too stupid to make the connections.
 

Jhhnn

IN MEMORIAM
Nov 11, 1999
62,365
14,681
136
In all of the historical examples of fascism, to include Senator Palpatine, there existed no opposition to keep those tendencies in check while it was happening. Even the Jedi were clueless to what was happening.

Republican appointees and Republicans themselves are at the forefront of investigations into Trump. The electorate just purged the House and came close to purging the Senate. The Democrat led House is building a credible case for impeachment.

This is not fascism. The GOP may be abandoning democracy, and democracy in turn is abandoning them.

In all my travels, different conditions led to the rise of fascism. Hitler exploited economic conditions and German anger over WW1 reparations. Mussolini evoked images of when Italy was the heart of an empire. Milosevic exploited the lingering tensions of ethnic identity that emerged after Tito’s regime collapsed. In all of those cases, the majority embraced a nationalist agenda to cheers and parades. I wouldn’t say our society is enthusiastically embracing Trump.

Which doesn't explain Trump being Prez at all or the thousands who turn into drooling idiots at his rallies.
 

woolfe9998

Lifer
Apr 8, 2013
16,189
14,114
136
In all of the historical examples of fascism, to include Senator Palpatine, there existed no opposition to keep those tendencies in check while it was happening. Even the Jedi were clueless to what was happening.

Republican appointees and Republicans themselves are at the forefront of investigations into Trump. The electorate just purged the House and came close to purging the Senate. The Democrat led House is building a credible case for impeachment.

This is not fascism. The GOP may be abandoning democracy, and democracy in turn is abandoning them.

In all my travels, different conditions led to the rise of fascism. Hitler exploited economic conditions and German anger over WW1 reparations. Mussolini evoked images of when Italy was the heart of an empire. Milosevic exploited the lingering tensions of ethnic identity that emerged after Tito’s regime collapsed. In all of those cases, the majority embraced a nationalist agenda to cheers and parades. I wouldn’t say our society is enthusiastically embracing Trump.

I'm afraid you misunderstand the references to fascism. It's not a prediction of a dictatorship. It's a description of Trump and the character of his following. The fact that they likely can never make him dictator for life has no bearing on whether this is essentially a fascist movement.
 
  • Like
Reactions: darkswordsman17

Starbuck1975

Lifer
Jan 6, 2005
14,698
1,909
126
Wow. You said all that yet...

Oh fuck it I'll just draw a picture...

(Hitler exploited economic conditions and German anger over WW1 reparations.)

Appealing to middle america's lost coal and other jobs, white nationalist and white male anger, lock her up,

(Mussolini evoked images of when Italy was the heart of an empire.)

MAGA!!!!

(Milosevic exploited the lingering tensions of ethnic identity that emerged after Tito’s regime collapsed)

Build that wall! Very fine people on both sides! Mexico sends their drug dealers and rapists. A total shutdown on Muslims in the US. Fuck, I could go on and on...

And guess what? None of these leaders were supported by a clear majority. All, even Hitler,. had sub 50% support . All you need is a fanatical 40ish support to unravel a democratic republic.

What is sad, is you posted the answers, but were too stupid to make the connections.
And yet how many of the things you mentioned have been kept in check by the judiciary and opposition party.

I am stupid. I keep running up the hill every time you cry wolf.
 

Starbuck1975

Lifer
Jan 6, 2005
14,698
1,909
126
Mob leaders ARE fascist by their very nature. That's like saying "Trump exhibits traits of a duck. He also exhibits traits of a mallard."
No they are not, and the Italian mafia was hardly sympathetic to Mussolini or the fascists, as fascism wasn’t good for business. Look up Cesare Mori. When the Allies liberated Italy, many mafia bosses ascended into Allied appointed government roles because they were the only “leaders” left who were both credibly anti-fascist and anti-communist.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
56,537
16,311
146
No they are not, and the Italian mafia was hardly sympathetic to Mussolini or the fascists, as fascism wasn’t good for business. Look up Cesare Mori. When the Allies liberated Italy, many mafia bosses ascended into Allied appointed government roles because they were the only “leaders” left who were both credibly anti-fascist and anti-communist.

Sigh. That's because one gangster is a rival to another.

Jesus do you even think? Fascism is gangster government. Of COURSE it would tolerate no competition.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
56,537
16,311
146
And yet how many of the things you mentioned have been kept in check by the judiciary and opposition party.

I am stupid. I keep running up the hill every time you cry wolf.

That's all fine and good as long as Trump stays within the lines. And was for Hitler as well... until the reichstag fire.

What you fail to realize, is in every instance of fascist takeover, an emergency was declared and power taken away from the checks and balances.

Trump is already trying his hand at declaring emergencies to get his way.

So, we've filled every checkmark. Even the abuse of emergency powers.

Do we have to wait for a reichstag fire?

For you, I suppose yes. For the rest of us, damn near 70%, no.
 
  • Like
Reactions: darkswordsman17

Starbuck1975

Lifer
Jan 6, 2005
14,698
1,909
126
That's all fine and good as long as Trump stays within the lines. And was for Hitler as well... until the reichstag fire.

What you fail to realize, is in every instance of fascist takeover, an emergency was declared and power taken away from the checks and balances.

Trump is already trying his hand at declaring emergencies to get his way.

So, we've filled every checkmark. Even the abuse of emergency powers.

Do we have to wait for a reichstag fire?

For you, I suppose yes. For the rest of us, damn near 70%, no.
It won’t come to that. Democrats just have to find the will to impeach him. I see no reason to fear an animal confined to a cage. Trump’s cage is getting smaller by the day.

Trump is trying to declare an emergency for his silly wall, and got smacked down
I take comfort in knowing our system works despite Trump.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
56,537
16,311
146
It won’t come to that. Democrats just have to find the will to impeach him. I see no reason to fear an animal confined to a cage. Trump’s cage is getting smaller by the day.

Trump is trying to declare an emergency for his silly wall, and got smacked down
I take comfort in knowing our system works despite Trump.

Sigh.

Were it not for his cult base and sycophantic republicans, he would have been impeached already.

In fact, the ONLY reason he is not already impeached is the republican party backing him. The democrats cannot impeach him on their own.

You know this, so you trying to make this point just reeks of insincerity.
 

Starbuck1975

Lifer
Jan 6, 2005
14,698
1,909
126
Sigh.

Were it not for his cult base and sycophantic republicans, he would have been impeached already.

In fact, the ONLY reason he is not already impeached is the republican party backing him. The democrats cannot impeach him on their own.

You know this, so you trying to make this point just reeks of insincerity.
If the Mueller report exposed collusion or criminal activity, I expect some GOP members will break ranks. If the investigation does not, impeachment becomes less politically attainable. The GOP already lost the House in standing by Trump. I could see someone like Romney challenging a weakened Trump. This plays out many ways.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
56,537
16,311
146
If the Mueller report exposed collusion or criminal activity, I expect some GOP members will break ranks. If the investigation does not, impeachment becomes less politically attainable. The GOP already lost the House in standing by Trump. I could see someone like Romney challenging a weakened Trump. This plays out many ways.

If the GOP had any integrity whatsoever Trumps' countless attempts at obstruction of justice would be enough. AT this point he's committed enough crimes trying to obstruct the investigation even if the Mueller report comes back with nothing (which it won't because we all know better).