Yes:
One of the reasons why both pro-Obama and anti-Obama observers may be reluctant to see him as fascist is that both tend to accept the prevailing notion that fascism is on the political right, while it is obvious that Obama is on the political left.
Back in the 1920s, however, when fascism was a new political development, it was widely — and correctly — regarded as being on the political left. Jonah Goldberg’s great book “Liberal Fascism” cites overwhelming evidence of the fascists’ consistent pursuit of the goals of the left, and of the left’s embrace of the fascists as one of their own during the 1920s.
Mussolini, the originator of fascism, was lionized by the left, both in Europe and in America, during the 1920s. Even Hitler, who adopted fascist ideas in the 1920s, was seen by some, including W.E.B. Du Bois, as a man of the left.It was in the 1930s, when ugly internal and international actions by Hitler and Mussolini repelled the world, that the left distanced themselves from fascism and its Nazi offshoot — and verbally transferred these totalitarian dictatorships to the right, saddling their opponents with these pariahs.
The real act that broke the Left from Hitler was when he betrayed Stalin.
[Update a while later]
Obama: “No difference between communism and capitalism.” Well, if you ignore the tens millions of citizens murdered by their governments, sure.
[Sunday-morning update]
The basic civics textbook definitions of the big “isms” when I was in school were:
Capitalism: Means of production in private hands.
Socialism: Most of the means of production–at least the important ones–owned and run by the State.
Communism: All of the means of production owned and run by the State.
Fascism: Means of production ostensibly in private hands, but run by the State.
If you want to have fun with “liberals,” when they say, “I’m not a socialist–I don’t want to nationalize industries–I just want the decision-making to be in the hands of the State,” say: “Oh, you’re a fascist then?” Their whines and tears are delicious.
But to me this says it all:
https://maddmedic.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/stop.jpg?w=474
I like this game, Here’s how I’d define those isms (without looking at a dictionary)
Right-Libertarianism: Means of production in private hands, with no state control.
Capitalism: Means of production in private hands with limited state control.
Socialism: Means of production in state ownership under state control, state under democratic control.
Communism: Means of production in state ownership and under state control, state controlled by elite few.
Fascism: Means of production in private ownership and under state control, state controlled by elite few.
With my definitions everyone in the Democrat and Republican leadership would be capitalists, over a left to right spectrum.
I agree with the Sowell that “socialist” doesn’t fit Obama, but don’t think “fascist”fits any better.
I suspect that no one in the Democrat and Republican leadership would support Zero state control or Total state control of the means of production so I think capitalisms “limited state control” still encompasses what the Democratic leadership advocates, as on an international and historical scale it’s still “limitted”.
The US simply doesn’t have the diversity in the popular political ideologies that are active there today to fill all those ism’s that have exists in the world over the last century+, in the US the other 4 ism’s I list are the at the political fringe.
It’s just convenient for you to throw other labels at each other.
There is a lot more to Fascism. You have to have a National Greatness component. That along with punching people who are restrained.
“Is Barack Obama A Socialist, Or A Fascist?”
Yes
How is it possible for Obama to be president? We allow babies to vote after the marxists have educated them and before life experience readjusts them.
It’s our fault.
Obama: “No difference between communism and capitalism.”
The definition of stupidity is the inability to distinguish things that are different. It’s also referred referred to as “nuance” on the left.
Rand:
Obama: “No difference between communism and capitalism.”
Is that supposed to be a direct quote from Obama? Because if it’s based on this monologue (waffling) it isn’t, and I can’t see how anyone but a rabid propagandist could conclude that that’s what Obama was inferring.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BadFTesAPzY
This is how it goes:
Socialism: You have two cows. The government takes one and gives it to your neighbor, who doesn’t know how to take care of cows. The cow dies.
Communism: You have two cows. You give them to the government, and the government then gives you some milk. The government farm is run by incompetent drunks and both cows die.
Fascism: You have two cows. You give them to the government, and the government then sells you some milk. Eventually you find low wage employment at the farm, taking care of lots of cows, including the ones that used to be yours.
Nazism: You have two cows. The government takes both and shoots you.
Crony Capitalism: You have two cows. Cows Inc. schmoozes the legislators and executive to get a law enacted making ownership of less than 5,000 head of cattle unlawful. See Fascism for the rest.
Libertarian Capitalism: You have two cows. You sell one cow and buy a bull. There is freedom and prosperity.
You seem to be ignoring the whole Spanish Civil War. Where the fascist forces clearly fought against anarco-syndicalists and republicans with Soviet support. The non-aggression pact was basically real-politik. Stalin knew it was a temporary deal that would end in a war eventually. Why do you think he kept all those troops along the border before Barbarossa?
In the 1920s the fascists had support from a lot of politicians from both the left and right. The uglyness was already there in plain sight but given the context of the Great Depression people were more tolerant of radical politicians.
As for Obama he’s at worst a crony capitalist. Like nearly every other US President in the last… how many years?
This. Like Hilary he associated with honest leftists as a young man but quickly sold out and joined the establishment.
Zilla, are you suggesting the community organizer has no connection with these fascist thugs? How naive.
“Zilla, are you suggesting the community organizer has no connection with these fascist thugs? How naïve.”
Naïve, or just in denial, or purposely deceptive.
The first, almost always leads to the second. This is due to the inherent limitations of people, both intellectually as well as emotionally.