Obama’s a Fascist

Oh shit! Did he really just say that?

Ya…I did. And here’s why:

“Fascism, above all, demands a leader sensitive to the feelings that course dimly through the crowd, someone who gives voice to its yearnings, however vague, who can magnify them, make them important, and focus them back onto himself so that he appears as their inevitable embodiment: ‘Obama ’08.’”

The above comes from this review of Jonah Goldberg’s new book, Liberal Fascism (which I look forward to reading soon) and it really strikes at what it is about Obama that truly terrifies me.

Now of course simply being charismatic doesn’t make one a fascist; as Goldberg argues in his book fascism is not simply a synonym for ‘evil’, it was a particular ideology that in it’s time was seriously considered by many, including many prominent American liberals of the time. So, what about Obama would drive me to call him a fascist? Just think of the bumper stickers one would expect to see sharing space with an “Obama ‘08!” sticker; again I quote from the review of Liberal Fascism,

“Fascism is inveterately hostile to religion: ‘Curb Your God.’ It thrives on action and grand designs: ‘Think Globally, Act Locally.’ It fetishizes youth: ‘Listen to the Wisdom of Children.’ It seeks to persecute an enemy it blames for all grievances, real or imagined: ‘Impeach Bush, Torture Cheney.’ It points the finger at international conspiracies: ‘War Is Shell & ExxonMobil & Halliburton & Conoco-Phillips & ChevronTexaco & BP . . . ’ It’s collectivist, expansionist, and nature loving: ‘One People, One Planet, One Future.’”

Yup, Obama sure seems like a fascist to me; and what a shock, he isn’t a scary evil Republican. I’m reminded of a comment George Carlin made on HBO’s ‘Real Time With Bill Maher’, “when fascism comes to America, it will not be in brown and black shirts. It will not be with jackboots. It will be Nike sneakers and smiley shirts. Smiley-smiley.”