One of the most resilient condemnations of Hilaire Belloc and G.K. Chesterton is the accusation of the F-Word. FASCISM! In 1937, Chesterton opined that Britain's financial and social problems were so profound that he couldn't exclude fascism as a possible remedy. What exactly does fascism mean? Fascism means a government that gets involved in every aspect of society. Many associate it with the Nazis, although this isn't really honest because the Holocaust, Nazism's worst crime, was not even undertaken until 1940, after Chesterton's death and three years after his comment on fascism.
Fascism is in the eye of the beholder. The NRA Franklin Roosevelt created was fascist in all but its name. Roosevelt was supported by radio priest Father Charles Coughlin. Coughlin was used to promote the leftist melange known as Catholic Social Teaching, and was condemned after he drifted into the anti-Semitism that one would expect from a fascist. Coughlin was used by Roosevelt to promote his New Deal. Most historians would shrink from calling FDR a fascist, but who would expect otherwise from Roosevelt's biggest fans.
In much the same way, few would describe Barack Obama as a fascist. Estase sees signs of fascism in Obama's message. Example One: Obama has nationalized Chrysler and General Motors. Obama has taken over the biggest banks in America. He is using these now-public assets to promote his obsessions- - environmentalism and the redistribution of wealth. Example Two: Obama wants to create even more government control over our health care. Obama intends to punish those of us who don't live on granola and mineral water. If you don't believe me, see the Politico online newsmagazine of Tuesday, June 10. Santa will pay for your health care, but only if you're a good little boy or girl. Example Three: Obama will send you to college, whether you have any brains or not. See also Argentina in the 1950's, where the universities functioned mainly to promote the ideals of fascist dictator Juan Peron. Example Four: Obama is trying to kill private charity. In the coming years, Obama will force Catholic hospitals out of business. He will do this in two ways. He already intends to remove the tax deduction for charitable contributions. In addition, his rewriting of the conscience clause will no doubt force even Catholic hospitals to perform abortions. These two actions will make it impossible for Catholic hospitals to continue as such. Thus, America's poor will depend even more on the beneficience of government for survival.
The time for action is now. The people who have convinced themselves that Obama is merely liberal need to realize that Obama is more than a Carter, more than a Clinton, perhaps even more than an FDR.
