dclegg:

 

The NRA is calling opposition to Trump "a war".

 

That is just outright scary.

MikeB4:

 

Fred99:

 

That includes Putin (and/or other russian "influence") for whatever hold they may have over the US administration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My feeling is that Mr Putin holds considerably less influence than Mr Putin believes he has. I feel it is mostly smoke and mirrors.

 

I think Putin has a "wee" bit of influence -;

The Trump effect

http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/23/14717506/garmin-engineer-shooting-kansas

I need something a bit more real to focus on. I hear the new NZ The Bachelor is being announced tonight. Or Married at First Sight, or Kim K. 

tdgeek:

 

I need something a bit more real to focus on. I hear the new NZ The Bachelor is being announced tonight. Or Married at First Sight, or Kim K. 

 

Light entertainment interlude for today:

Maybe Trumpy could start a new reality TV show called the Running Man and host it. He could line up all his enemies and get them to compete on the show. Perhaps he could start with that Austrian fella who used to be the Governor of California. 

DarthKermit:

 

<snip>

 

If this was a sci fi movie, Trump = Vader and Bannon = The Emperor.

 

Edit: And The NRA = The Stormtroopers.

 

I see the White House has started blocking media it doesn't approve of from attending briefings. This in an apparent attempt to control the coverage it receives. Never happened before. The start of shutting down the media?

http://money.cnn.com/2017/02/24/media/cnn-blocked-white-house-gaggle/index.html?iid=hp-toplead-intl

Rikkitic:

 

I see the White House has started blocking media it doesn't approve of from attending briefings. This in an apparent attempt to control the coverage it receives. Never happened before. The start of shutting down the media?

 

http://money.cnn.com/2017/02/24/media/cnn-blocked-white-house-gaggle/index.html?iid=hp-toplead-intl

 

 

The 14 Defining Characteristics Of Fascism

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
4. Supremacy of the Military
5. Rampant Sexism

6. Controlled Mass Media

7. Obsession with National Security
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined
9. Corporate Power is Protected
10. Labor Power is Suppressed
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
14. Fraudulent Elections

That list was posted by me in error - it's actually somewhat questionable/fraudulent.

I'd meant to post this list (also there are other definitions on the wiki page) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definitions_of_fascism#Umberto_Eco

Attack on the (freedom of the) media isn't necessarily (only) a hallmark of fascism, but totalitarianism.

Anyway, Bannon's comment which was:

“They’re corporatist, globalist media that are adamantly opposed to an economic nationalist agenda like Donald Trump has.”

You also need to look at some of his other statements on record such as:

"And we’re at the very beginning stages of a very brutal and bloody conflict, of which if the people in this room, the people in the church, do not bind together and really form what I feel is an aspect of the church militant, to really be able to not just stand with our beliefs, but to fight for our beliefs against this new barbarity that’s starting, that will completely eradicate everything that we’ve been bequeathed over the last 2,000, 2,500 years."

To understand that indeed he is a true fascist - and given his position, probably the most dangerous person on the planet.

Just watched Trump's CPAC speech.

We are witnessing an attempt to establish a fascist state.

They may succeed.

This is scary.

Worst case:

US fascist state.

Russia ally.

Not sure the world could stand up against that twosome if unified.

dafman:

 

Just watched Trump's CPAC speech.

 

We are witnessing an attempt to establish a fascist state.

 

They may succeed.

 

This is scary.

 

clarification:

They may succeed if armed services and police on side (and Trump is clearly working on this)