The Democratic Voice

By William Crandell

For quite a few years I have listened to conservatives refer to progressives as advocates of socialism. These accusations derive from sources like Fox News and neo conservatives like Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity and have divided our country into extreme ideological camps. Many liberals would like to avoid this degrading political mudslinging and make very little comment concerning these charges. But they are ignoring the fact that the Tea Party has significant roots in a movement called fascism and has an ugly history that could bring about dire consequences for our country.

Fascism began in the 1920s with the likes of Tito, Mussolini and Hitler and was a result of the economic upheavals that were occurring in their world. The rise of fascism was nothing more than a reaction to an uncertain future that was motivated by fear and a need to seek out strong leadership. Since the economic downfall in 2008 many Americans have become frightened and angry of our own economic future and are turning to ruthless leadership to guide them through these tough times. The Tea Party have portrayed themselves as the saviors of the American way of life but along with that salvation comes oppression and the extremists have been working to suppress the rights of those they feel are enemies of our country.

The Tea Party may claim that their main party platform is curbing government spending and not raising taxes but their agenda is really right wing social engineering.

One of the strongest examples is the voter suppression laws that make it difficult for minorities and the impoverished to cast their ballots because both groups tend to vote democratic. They have also enshrined themselves in nationalism as if they have a monopoly on the American spirit and free market capitalism.

They have laid the blame for America’s troubles and made scapegoats out of intellectual America, immigrants, minorities, people who receive government services and homosexuals. They are also seeking to suppress women’s rights by attempting to take away their right to choose and have stood in strong opposition to equality in the workplace. The entire political platform of the Tea Party is really based on anger and resentment and is not cohesive to compromise or doing what’s best for the people.

I think many liberals are too honorable to call this ugly neoconservative movement for what it is.

The extreme right is using propaganda, money and playing upon the fears of middle class America to control the people. What they are attempting to sell is a new capitalistic society where greed is ok and it doesn’t matter who it hurts. Where the rich get richer and don’t have to pay their fair share because they hold all the power. If you want to talk “isms,” let’s talk the biggest one of all, the one that is destroying this country, and many of its followers are so filled with anger that they won’t see it coming until it’s too late.