The survival of democracy is on the ballot in November – repudiate ‘Trumpism’, the new American fascism

The malignant cancer of Trumpism, the new American fascism, has now fully emaciated the decaying dead carcass of the Republican Party. The Republican Party is no more, it is history.

The former Party of Lincoln is now the Party of Trump, the party of white identity and white grievance and white nationalism.

At last night’s rally in Texas for “Lyin’ Ted” Cruz, Russian asset Donald Trump formally embraced fascism:

Donald Trump: You know, they have a word. It sort of became old-fashioned. It’s called a nationalist. And I say really, we’re not supposed to use that word. You know what I am? I am a nationalist. Use that word.

In response, the Houston crowd roared back with a defiant chant of “USA! USA!” They fully understood Trump’s dog whistle of “white nationalism.”

This is the result of the conservative movement’s decades-long embrace of Friendly Fascism: The New Face of Power in America that professor Bertram Gross presciently warned us of in 1980.

Fascism doesn’t descend on a nation overnight. A nation has to be prepared for it first. Doctor Steven Jonas correctly noted in his 2015 essay, Fascism in the 21st Century:

When we are looking at 21st century fascism, in the context of what is happening in certain of the capitalist states, at the present particularly in the United States, it should be noted that it is entirely possible that wholesale violence will not be required for its introduction.  Nor will a maximum leader necessarily be required.  Like the fog in the famous, ultra-short poem by the U.S. person Carl Sandburg, it may well come in “on little cat feet.”

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Watch Citizens Clean Elections Commission debates for So. AZ Legislative District races

Watch Clean Election debates for  Southern Arizona Legislative races before General Election on Nov. 6, 2018.

If you’re not sure who’s running for State Senate (1 seat) and State House (2 seats) in LD 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 14 in Southern Arizona,

view the Arizona Clean Elections Commission debates online for these legislative races

at: https://www.azcleanelections.gov/en/past-debates.

LD 2: held on Sept. 24 at Sahuarita High School, Sahuarita

Senator Andrea Dalessandro (D) vs. Shelley Kais (R)

House Reps. Rosanna Gabaldon (D) and Daniel Hernandez, Jr. (D) vs. Republicans Chris Ackerley & Anthony Sizer

LD 3: held on Oct. 17 at PCC West, Tucson

(Senator-elect Sally Gonzales (D) has no opposition in the General  – not part of debate)

House (two open seats): Andres Cano (D) vs. Green candidate Beryl Baker; House candidate Alma Hernandez (D) did not participate

LD 9: held on Oct. 16 at PCC NW, Tucson

Senate (open seat) – former House Rep. Victoria Steele (D) vs. Randy Fleenor (R)

House: Reps. Randy Friese (D) and Pam Powers Hannley (D) vs. Ana Henderson (R)

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What Kind of Arizona and America do you want to live in?

David Brooks
David Brooks asks, “Are the behavior and actions of the President and the Republicans what you want to see in your public servants?”

During the Shields and Brooks segment of the PBS Newshour on October 19, 2018, David Brooks, the center-right commentator from the New York Times rightly suggested that a closing argument for the Democrats should be “Are the behavior and actions of the President and the Republicans what you want to see in your public servants? Is their belief in what America should be your beliefs in what America should be?”

In the end, it does come down to that. Mr. Brooks is right and this can be applied to Arizona and our state leaders over the last two years as well as America and its leaders over that same period. People need to consider if they want to live in a state or a country where the trajectory over the last two years is taking us backward as opposed to forwards. Please consider:

Do we want to live in an Arizona and America where the leaders behave like demagogues, self-serving oligarchs, and, in the case of the current occupant of the White House, petty dictators, dividing us with the “big lies” and pitting us against each other?

Do we want to live in an Arizona and America where the wealthy are catered to and the poor and unfortunate shunned?

Do we want to live in an Arizona and America where corrupt oligarchs and plutocrats pay equally corrupt public servants behind the scenes with dark money to achieve their ends?

Do we want to live in an Arizona and America where our women are potentially denied the right to choose when needed?

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Comedy for Charity presents “Whose Live Anyway” on Nov. 1st

  THURSDAY, NOV 1, 2018 7:30PM – 9:00PM AT THE FOX THEATRE, 17 W. Congress St. Tucson “Comedy for Charity is proud to announce it is co-promoting and co-producing the hilarious Whose Live Anyway with The Fox Theatre on November 1st. Back by popular demand, this show sold out in 2016, so get your tickets … Read more

The Arizona Republic endorses Kyrsten Sinema for U.S. Senate

In a “woe is the state of political discourse and civility” editorial today, the Arizona Republic endorsed Rep. Kyrsten Sinema for U.S. Senate. Don’t believe the attack ads. Here’s who Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally really are:

Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally have been in campaign mask.

Both U.S. Senate candidates have been wearing false fronts since the primary, and everyone knows it. But Sinema and McSally continue with the fiction, somehow thinking their masks are going to make them look better.

They don’t.

That’s the pity of this race.

All either candidate had to do was be herself –– or, at least, the self both displayed as U.S. House members – and the race would be just as competitive, particularly among independents and moderates. Because the real Sinema and McSally are centrists, accomplished women with moxie and class and the ability to work with people who aren’t like them to get stuff done in Congress.

Is Kyrsten Sinema really a radical?

McSally and other groups have painted Sinema as a tutu-wearing leftist who – repeat it with us, because we know you’ve seen the ad –– was protesting our country while McSally was on a combat mission defending it.

It’s true. Sinema did wear a tutu. She told a Libertarian talk-show host that she had no problem with him joining the Taliban.

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