LogFAQs > #904219723

BlackScythe0 posted...

darkknight109 posted...

BlackScythe0 posted...

How is making a factual statement the same as making an absurd assertion?

Take this from someone who despises Trump, "Donald Trump is a fascist" is not a factual statement.

Fascism is a form of extreme right-wing, nationalistic, one-party dictatorship that typically involves forcible, violent suppression of opposition, suppression or control of the press, extreme militarization, and a high level of regulation and control of industry and commerce.

Trump ticks the boxes for right-wing nationalism and pretty much nothing else (and even then, he's to the left of most historical fascist parties). He has not led any violent crackdowns on political opponents; despite some bellicose rhetoric and empty threats that he has no power to fulfill (and which he hasn't even bothered to attempt), he does not control or suppress the free press; he still participates in a two party system and, while he seems wholly uninterested in any serious negotiations with the Democrats, he has at least invited them to participate on a few instances where he couldn't get his own party in line; while he is pro-military, he is not unusually so and could credibly be called a Republican Dove (at least compared to more militaristic Republican presidents like Bush Sr. and Jr.) given his military pullbacks in East Asia and Syria; and, on the last note, Trump is about as anti-regulation and anti-government control as he can get, and one of his huge bragging points is how much regulation and government oversight he is getting rid of (this is pretty much the opposite of what a fascist would be doing in his position).

Again, there is absolutely no need to go down this road. You have probably never had a less capable candidate who you can criticize on any number of issues; don't pick the only one that actually makes Donald Trump seem sensible and reasonable.

You are saying someone cannot be fascist until they have completely changed their nations form of government into fascism.

Do you recognize how nonsensical that is?

But, again, what is he doing that's fascist?

He's right wing. Alright. He's nationalistic. OK.

Is he greatly expanding the military? No. In fact he's pulling the military back in a lot of places. The Syrian rebels have been informed that the US is pulling out of the conflict and cutting off military aid; Trump is strongly in favour of sharply reducing the number of US troops in Asia and even traditional US bases in Western Europe, built to act as a deterrent to Russian aggression, are now being looked at with an eye to cutbacks, while Trump is encouraging other nations to replace US forces.

Is he centralizing power? No - in fact, he's doing anything but, cutting regulations and gutting government agencies wherever he can. He's trying to put power with corporations rather than with the government and nearly all of his most sweeping changes are huge boons for corporate America (and no one else).

Those last two points alone pretty much disqualify him from being a fascist. He hates the press, but there's nothing indicating that he's doing anything more than muddying the waters so that his supporters are less inclined to believe negative stories regardless of how true they are. He demonizes Muslims, blacks, and Hispanics, but you can be a racist asshole without being fascist.

So yeah... narcissistic bigoted shithead? Yes. But fascist? No.
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