[wat0n]

And yet nowadays it's the Left that is running the remaining dictatorships in the West. The right-wing dictatorships have long been dismantled and don't seem to be close to returning anytime soon.

[Patrickov]

This stupid argument is another justification for fascism common in the USA: that leftists somehow magically force the right to ignore democracy by simply being leftists.

I am not an American and not living in the United States, retard.

[Patrickov]

Most dictatorships around the world (since the dawn of Marxism) have been right wing.

So the current Russia, China, Cuba, Iran and Vietnamese regimes are all right wing supported by the West?

Fuck you.

[Pants-of-dog]

And yet nowadays it's the Left that is running the remaining dictatorships in the West. The right-wing dictatorships have long been dismantled and don't seem to be close to returning anytime soon.

This does not seem to change the fact that the US is still supporting right wing dictatorships. Only now they do it in MENA countries instead of, for example, Chile.

I am not an American and not living in the United States,

I never claimed you were. This does not change the fact that many US conservatives who turn a blind eye to, for example, Republican efforts to disenfranchise people justify their authoritarian measures by claiming that it is a reaction to leftist oppression.

So the current Russia, China, Cuba, Iran and Vietnamese regimes are all right wing supported by the West?

Russia is definitely a western dictatorship that is supported by some US politicians, notably the Trump faction.

Saudi Arabia is another.

[Julian658]

This does not seem to change the fact that the US is still supporting right wing dictatorships. Only now they do it in MENA countries instead of, for example, Chile.



I never claimed you were. This does not change the fact that many US conservatives who turn a blind eye to, for example, Republican efforts to disenfranchise people justify their authoritarian measures by claiming that it is a reaction to leftist oppression.



Russia is definitely a western dictatorship that is supported by some US politicians, notably the Trump faction.

Saudi Arabia is another.

Hey POD:

I believe you support left wing dictatorships.

You have no choice because there is no way to have socialism without a dictatorship.

BTW, you are correct about one thing; theUSA has looked the other way about dictators that were friendly.

[wat0n]

This does not seem to change the fact that the US is still supporting right wing dictatorships. Only now they do it in MENA countries instead of, for example, Chile.

And Russia and China support left-wing dictatorships across the world including in, for example, Venezuela and Cuba. Parts of the Left in the West also tend to be sympathetic to those regimes.

[Pants-of-dog]

Sure.

Since these are not going to impact the rise of fascism in the USA, nor are relevant, I have no problem conceding these for the sake of argument.

I will also assume that you have not rouble conceding the fact that traditional US support for right wing dictatorships has created a pathway for the US to accept fascism in their own country.

Mind you, the idea of Putin supporting Cuba is hilarious. But since this is irrelevant, feel free to think I agree with this.

[wat0n]

Sure.

Since these are not going to impact the rise of fascism in the USA, nor are relevant, I have no problem conceding these for the sake of argument.

I will also assume that you have not rouble conceding the fact that traditional US support for right wing dictatorships has created a pathway for the US to accept fascism in their own country.

Mind you, the idea of Putin supporting Cuba is hilarious. But since this is irrelevant, feel free to think I agree with this.

Putin doesn't support a traditional Russian ally like Cuba? What's hilarious about that?

As for your point about American support for its authoritarian allies creating a pathway for fascism, sure, just like leftist support for Cuba does the same.

[Pants-of-dog]

Putin doesn't support a traditional Russian ally like Cuba? What's hilarious about that? :?:

Because Cuba and Russia are not traditional allies.

Cuba was allies with the USSR, but that was another country with a completely different agenda.

The idea that Putin is following a pre-glasnost agenda is hilarious.

As for your point about American support for its authoritarian allies creating a pathway for fascism, sure, just like leftist support for Cuba does the same.

Yes, you should start a thread about how oppressive communists are likely to take over the US government.

I am going to start ignoring these arguments except to point out how they are a good example of my argument.

[wat0n]

Because Cuba and Russia are not traditional allies.

Cuba was allies with the USSR, but that was another country with a completely different agenda.

The idea that Putin is following a pre-glasnost agenda is hilarious.

So Putin is not allied with the Cuban Government?

It may not operate like the USSR did (due to a lack of material means, mainly) but that doesn't quite mean Putin is indifferent to the Cubans.

Yes, you should start a thread about how oppressive communists are likely to take over the US government.

I am going to start ignoring these arguments except to point out how they are a good example of my argument.

I'm sure they'd love to, but that's not happening in the foreseeable future

[Pants-of-dog]

So Putin is not allied with the Cuban Government?

It may not operate like the USSR did (due to a lack of material means, mainly) but that doesn't quite mean Putin is indifferent to the Cubans.



I'm sure they'd love to, but that's not happening in the foreseeable future

Sure!

These sorts of arguments are a good example of how fascism is gaining ground in the US by making everyone scared of imaginary socialist threats.

[Julian658]

Sure!

These sorts of arguments are a good example of how fascism is gaining ground in the US by making everyone scared of imaginary socialist threats.

Hey POD
You are real and you are somewhat of a threat to the West.

[Pants-of-dog]

The idea that Marxists (who are a small minority with almost no political power) are a real threat is based on fear and not facts. This anti-intellectual approach is characteristic of fascism.

This disregard for reality also helps when right wing authoritarians get political power and then use this power to subvert democracy.

[wat0n]

Sure!

These sorts of arguments are a good example of how fascism is gaining ground in the US by making everyone scared of imaginary socialist threats.

How is that fascist?

When the Left makes similar claims about the Right, is it fascism too?

[Pants-of-dog]

I never said these imaginary fears were part of fascism.

I said they were a way for fascism to gain ground.

[wat0n]

Sure, and doesn't that rhetoric help fascism gain ground when uttered by "progressives"?

[Pants-of-dog]

Sure, and doesn't that rhetoric help fascism gain ground when uttered by "progressives"?

What rhetoric?

Can you give an example of a progressive doing whatever vague thing you are discussing?

[wat0n]

What rhetoric?

Can you give an example of a progressive doing whatever vague thing you are discussing?

Sure. This example will of course be centered in the US, but you can see equivalent stuff in other countries.

The idea that a right-wing administration will impose a dictatorship, or take your rights away, ban abortion or end welfare is the counterpart to the idea that a left-wing administration will impose a different kind of dictatorship, take your guns and other property away, hike taxes to confiscatory levels, force you to abort fetuses or nationalize all healthcare.

I think we can agree that in reality both actually share quite a few ideas and policies when it comes to governing, and that neither will do any of that.

[Unthinking Majority]

The United States of America has, since its inception, managed to maintain a republic form of democracy for over 240 years. This has been largely because the two major competing political parties [Ed.: These have changed from time to time,] agreed informally to abide by a set of unwritten rules. The US Constitution, as with those of other democracies, is not an iron-clad barrier to the possibility of a one party state.

Which unwritten rules are those? The Bill of Rights has freedom of association, assembly, and speech, so someone like Trump could never ban other political parties and have a 1-party state.

[Torus34]

Which unwritten rules are those? The Bill of Rights has freedom of association, assembly, and speech, so someone like Trump could never ban other political parties and have a 1-party state.

Hi!

To answer your question in part, one dealt with comity. Another dealt with the process of replacing judges in the Supreme Court.

As to the implication that 'It can't happen here,' history provides examples of it happening in other democracies. I know of no reason to believe that Americans are a biological sub-set of h. sapiens. In that respect we're no different from people elsewhere. Any difference must be ascribed to culture. If the cultures in other democracies could change to permit the change to single-party rule there is, again, no reason to believe that American culture is uniquely impervious to that sort of change.

Regards, stay safe 'n well.