Fascism in the Driver's Seat

There’s a lot of buzz on the right these days about the rise of fascism in the United States.  I hear it from the right-wing contingent amongst my FB friends, from the pundits on FOX and farther out on the lunatic fringe, from local and state officials in some benighted parts of the country, from the captains of industry who want us to get back to work so that profits can be made again, and from the bozo in the White House and his clown posse—efforts by state and local governments to respond to the pandemic, and efforts to support them by the Democratic controlled House, are really just a great left-wing hoax to bring fascism to America and deprive us all of our rights. Oh no!

Now I will confess that I share this concern about the rise of fascism in the United States.  It is my conviction, formed after decades of study, that all governments, whatever their constitutional or philosophical or historical foundations, tend toward fascism.  But I am finding it very difficult to discern the fascism the right wing is concerned about.

While the federal government has floundered idiotically in the face of the pandemic—lying, denying, obstructing, profiteering, generally making matters much worse than they need to be—various state and local governments have imposed temporary closures to the economy and public gatherings, closed schools several weeks early, and struggled against federal obstruction to provide support to an overwhelmed medical system.  There is no doubt that this has been economically and psychologically costly.  Now they are loosening these restrictions too soon, according to the recommendation of virtually everyone who has any claim to know what they are talking about.  And the only “requirement” as public life resumes is that we practice social distancing and wear masks.

Perhaps this is good public policy, perhaps not.  But fascism?  If the critics of the “quarantine” are right, then the whole business is almost over.  The restrictions will be removed, there will be no serious medical consequences, and we’ll all get on with our lives.  But if they are wrong…?  Given the widespread resistance in the US to evidence-based thinking, I think it is difficult to say where our political culture and discourse will go.  On the other hand….

Donald Trump attempts to silence anyone who disagrees with him—journalists, historians, scientists, doctors, and so on and on.  Trump and McConnell are stooges for the oligarchy, ours or that of other nations.  If you are a US oligarch looking to avoid taxes or some sort of onerous regulation concerning the environment or worker safety, or a Russian oligarch looking to launder money, or an Arab oligarch looking to commit murder, or perhaps other oligarchs we don’t yet know about, Trump and McConnell are ready to offer their political services.  Of course, there are those who don’t approve of this, so the GOP is engaged in large-scale voter suppression efforts all over the place.  

The pandemic provides yet another thrilling example—3D, technicolor, Dolby sound—of the extent to which Trump and McConnell and the GOP are stooges of the oligarchy.  US corporations are sitting on trillions of dollars in cash reserves.  They could have weathered this pandemic without a lot of help.  The government could have focused on helping small businesses and people who depend on regular income from a job.  Instead, the GOP saw yet another opportunity for a massive wealth transfer to the rich.  They created a huge debt that does little or nothing to help the working and middle classes who will have to pay it.  And now they want everyone to ignore the dangers and get back to work.  Rich people are losing money.  Who cares if a few thousand peasants (or a few hundred thousand, or a few million) have to die.  

Fascism is no longer a threat in the United States.  It is in the driver’s seat.