SKIRTING USE OF THE F-WORD WITH BUSH

In a reasoned series of examples, syndicated columnist Norman Solomon argues that elements of fascism have begun to creep into the U.S. with the Supreme Court's selecting Bush as the "winner" of the 2000 presidential election.

He quotes Judge Guido Calabresi of the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals at the American Constitution Society’s annual convention on June 19:

"In a way that occurred before but is rare in the United States ... somebody came to power as a result of the illegitimate acts of a legitimate institution that had the right to put somebody in power. That is what the Supreme Court did in Bush versus Gore. It put somebody in power."

Later, Solomon adds:

At Cornell University, government professor Theodore Lowi now aptly describes the George W. Bush administration as "a toxic combination of God rhetoric, money, cronyism and severe moral hierarchy that poses a real threat of fascism for our nation."

Curiously, he steers clear of calling our state "fascist," though we are reminded that such political movement can happen piecemeal in a country and with the consent of the people.