On Fascism

Is Trump a fascist, or, more vaguely, fascistic? Let me suggest that we lay this one to rest. No doubt that he's fascist/fascistic.

He's mobilized extreme xenophobia and nativism, violence, racism, in the service of strongman rule and as against traditions of due process and civil liberties. Trump's managed to subvert the distinction between truth and lies, and not in any cool subtle postmodern way, either. No, history will show that Stump owes more to Joseph Goebbels than to Marcel Duchamp. 

Not that he's much heard of either.

So yes, he's fascistic already. But remember fascism itself wasn't built in a day, neither in Italy, under the leadership of Il Duce nor in Germany under that of the Fuhrer. Trump's regime is far from asserting the absolute control it seeks. So lets move on from terminology and labels to process.

There's much in American culture and politics to impede Trump. It's been noted that the Constitution has nearly sacred status here and Clump has been clumsy in violating it. Even career militarists like John McCain find themselves standing up for it.

On the other hand, there are conservatives like Speaker of the House Paul Ryan who succeed again and again in swallowing every little tiny urge to protest or resist.

Is that because they are craven careerists or because they see in Rump a way to further their lifelong desire to gut the New Deal and the Great Society, privatize everything, and enact utterly nutso Ayn Rand fantasies?

Both I think.

Another point: Mussolini and Hitler were, as compared to Dumpster, relatively integrated personalities, fulminating enough sick ideology to disguise how craven and smashed they were at the core, whereas Plump seems always on the verge of coming apart like a high-jacked train racing through red lights in the subway tunnels.

To wit: have you noticed how he's lost that lustrous spray-on tan, and with it, seemingly, the desire to appear young, billionaire rich and cool, to party; how his hair has lost that alien orange; how his face is spreading out and sagging, as if about to peel off?

Have another cheese burger Jumbo. Nosh down on two or three.

You've had a hard day, Scumbo. It's too little appreciated that telling lies takes effort too.

This guy Bannon that keeps whispering absolute horseshit in your ear, ditch him, feed him to the dogs. What? No dogs in Trump Tower?

Well, then, bring in crocs.

Anyway, you're not getting away with this.