(11-25-2016, 07:12 PM)Classic-Xer Wrote:(11-24-2016, 08:33 PM)pbrower2a Wrote: The outlawry of totalitarian movements hardly compromises democracy. Such Parties effectively become crime syndicates beyond any possibility of reform into something benign. I speak of among others the Nazi Party, Fascist Party, Ba'ath Party of Iraq, Parti Populaire Francais, Arrow Cross, Iron Guard, Imperial Rule Assistance League, and the Communist Party of Romania. If it is acceptable to outlaw criminal enterprises that exist largely for human trafficking, distribution of dangerous drugs, and financial scams, then why is it not acceptable to outlaw organizations that existed at one time to promote military aggression, slavery, or genocide?
Funny, you don't see/recognize the obvious signs, obvious language, obvious beliefs, the obvious type of people who are more likely to go along and activities associated with totalitarian minded people, totalitarian group and totalitarian like movements and actions that is obviously more prevalent TODAY on the progressive left than the American right. If the crisis boils down to the American libertarian right vs the totalitarian left in a civil war as you are seeing a prelude and a glimpse of today right here, what you saw happening between people at the Trump rallies and saw happening to regular regular folks in the streets before and after the rallies and so on. Liberals ain't wise people. Liberals ain't very sharp people. Liberals ain't very sensible/practical people. Liberals ain't very instinctual people. Liberals ain't very American minded and pretty clueless when it comes to American nature.
One necessary element of totalitarianism is the criminalization of dissent. If you wish to speak of a 'libertarian' Right, then you do not speak of crony-capitalist, big government Donald Trump, who has shown plenty of desire to squelch dissent with his policies. You can trust that if President Trump thrusts an unpopular, extremist agenda contrary to the values of most Americans ... he has lost liberals permanently, but such moderate conservatives as there are could easily turn against him... then we can expect protests and demonstrations as commonplace and vociferous as those of the Tea Party against Obama.
We liberals aren't wise? We are probably more learned in history, philosophy, political science, and psychology. We are less likely to fall for demagogues. We are better able to use language and logic than you are. We know enough to address issues instead of personalities (unless the personalities become corrupt or despotic, in which case the personalities become the issues).
The Libertarian Right is practically impotent in America. It's not scary, either. The Totalitarian Left is small. Sure, there are devotees of Trotsky, Lenin, Mao, Castro, and the Kims, and other splinter groups, but even the Communist Party of the USA seems to be going with liberals. The Totalitarian Right? Donald Trump has gone from seeming a right-ting crank to a full-blown fascist. We liberals are rather libertarian on culture and sex -- and we are at a minimum of 45% of the electorate. It wouldn't take much more of a coalition for us to win the Presidency in 2020. Trump looks like the sort who squeezes harder only to lose sympathy and become scary.
So we aren't very instinctive. We prefer reasoning, and if our reasoning doesn't go in your direction, then tough luck. So we aren't very national-minded? We prefer that our nations operate humanely. I have more in common in my politics with an Indonesian liberal than with an American fascist. Liberalism is international because its principles are the same everywhere. But should I ever be in the situation between standing for a liberal enemy of a fascist America and aiding a criminal fascist regime in America... the moral choice will be obvious.
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated Communist but instead the people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists -- Hannah Arendt.