“I wouldn't call it fascism exactly, but a political system nominally controlled by an irresponsible, dumbed down electorate who are manipulated by dishonest, cynical, controlled mass media that dispense the propaganda of a corrupt political establishment can hardly be described as democracy either.”

This man is a genius...are you SURE he's American?

Outstanding!! Yes. There was a time, before the "Great Dumbing Down" that American's regularly understood and said this kind of thing. Believe it or not,when Johnathan Edwards entered college at age 16, he already knew Greek, Latin, etc....before he got there.

This is a great quote! However I looked up Edward Zehr and found that he was a radical extremist against Clinton regarding his sexual improprieties. Clinton's sexual behavior pales in comparison to Bush's ignorance, leading us into a war built on false assertions, and bankrupting our government using taxpayer's dollars. Still, this particular quote is good.

I am ashamed of the number of fat, dumb people that are found in the American electorate -- but they have the right to be as fat and dumb as they please. However, their dependence and ignorance (as well as the arrogance of the smart, skinny voters) lead us happily marching the road to Socialism. Get off your fat asses and read a book! ;-)

Archer, NYC.. Try Fascism.... Look up its definition.

It's not socialism the fat, dumb sorts want; they are terrified of it. It's fascism plain and simple. Line your neighbourhoods with trailer parks and there you have it: the dumbed down FOX gobbling conservatives, not progressives.

Anonymous above, WHAT? You have to genetically be linked to Waffler. For the controlled, irresponsible, dumbed down, manipulated and dishonest, I will write this real slow so that you might understand: Fascism and communism are different administrative styles of socialism. As per the quote, the United Socialists of Amerika (USA) is much further down the fascist trail than the author's remarks would indicate but, as a whole, very accurate.

Mike, Anon's comment is typical of the arrogance of ignorance. As if "progressives" have the answer....they don't. In fact not one progressive idea can find its way home to anything like logic or morality.

While we watch the games on TV and our living rooms, shop at the malls, listen to Faux News, sip our designer coffees, murder millions abroad in the name of profit, oops, I meant freedom and democracy, our very demise is occurring around us. Reagan, the Bush's and Obama are not leaders, they were installed by the corporate and wealthy elite and they manipulate you to think that we live in a free democracy. Even the dumbed down electorate has no say in the matter - ah, but let them think they do...............

Socialism/liberalism, is government giving privilege, sustenance, and authority to those who cannot and will not govern their own lives over those who can and do at the cost of those who do.

I like how Mark Levin calls them: The Washington Compost, The New York Slimes, The Communist News Network(CNN), MSLSD(MSNBC), etc.

Bozeman, what's wrong with being a "radical extremist against Clinton because of his sexual improprieties". Bush did lead us into a bad war, are there any good ones, but that's not what is bankrupting this country. Various billion dollar bureaucracies in our government , foreign aid, the cost of illegal aliens, feeding and housing thousands of people in jail for victimless drug crimes, welfare, and other items of profligate spending by the elite in Washigton has bankrupted this country. Even without the war, we would still be bankrupt. And now we are dropping bombs on Libya, go figure.

Well said

Anyone who equates socialism with fascism should go back to school. If Zehr had added that the corrupt poliltical establishment was controlled by powerful corporations he could have more accurately called it definitely fascistic.

I'd like to see Edward Zehr's quotation on a T-shirt. That would solve all of my wardrobe needs. On another note: those who stigmatize people who live in trailer parks display prejudice. The converse of their view presumes that those living in fashionable areas, in big houses are, de facto, "quality people." Anyone that simplistic illustrates Zehr's quotation.

Amen... I couldn't myself have possibly described it so succinctly, but I was honestly feeling the same thread of this having suffered through the Warren hearings today just by chance.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish:
but he who keepeth the Law, happy is he."

Proverbs 29:18

The morbid dearth of discernment that is being exhibited by multitudes in this benighted day is a stark monument to the effect that the cataclysmic declension of morality, of values consequently, is having.

In the absence of morality, there is an absence of objectivity, thus an impoverishment of discernment, the presence of which is prerequisite to the taking of rightly informed decisions.

A principled person's decisions are taken for him or her.

"Anyone who equates socialism with fascism should go back to school." Dick, the NAZI party originated as the German Worker's Party, later turning into the National Socialist German Workers' Party. While fascism differs from communism as do other varying degrees of socialism, the principle is the same: supremacy of the state over the individual. In totalitarian systems, the individual serves the state/church and must follow its dictates. Obviously, Libertarian systems are completely opposite -- state power is regulated by the citizens, not the other way around.

But I would not go back to school to get educated -- that knowledge is not being taught.

Archer, I like it. If we could agree, Socialism is any of various economic, political and religious theories advocating collective or governmental ownership, administration and equalization of property, the means of production as well as the distribution of goods and services. The 10 planks of the communist manifesto is one theory of socialism with the government owning and administering all in its apropos name. Fascism accepts most of the communist manifesto's 10 planks only, it owns and administers all through corporations and other legal persons, bureaus and agencies. Property (real, chattel and otherwise, including people) are owned, accounted, and numbered by god/government. Communism is now considered the left and fascism the right of socialism (progressive, democratic, etc. socialism draws from both ends of the totalitarianism).

No other words are necessary, or, I can't think of them at the moment!