29
   

Rising fascism in the US

 
 
blatham
 
  2  
Fri 3 Mar, 2023 09:52 am
You folks might not be surprised to learn that there are a lot of Canadian right winger/conspiracy nutcase types who are getting their heads filled with such ideas. But by "a lot" I have to add the qualification that their numbers and influence are still far less than is the case in the US. But this crap is flooding across the border. In my British Columbia home town, there's a loud contingent disrupting school board meetings with demands that school libraries remove books which portray same-sex marriage as normal. The terms "woke" or "woke-ism" are now commonplace here as well.
Walter Hinteler
 
  2  
Fri 3 Mar, 2023 10:10 am
@blatham,
Our right winger/conspiracy nutcase types are fast learners, too, even the English word "woke" is used here as well.
revelette1
 
  4  
Fri 3 Mar, 2023 12:37 pm
Quote:
Florida’s Anti-Political Blogging Bill Is Just as Crazy as It Sounds
SO MUCH FOR ‘FREEDOM’

Florida state Sen. Jason Brodeur filed legislation this week that would effectively force any blogger that writes about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, or any member of the Florida Cabinet or Legislature, to file registration paperwork with the state—or face fines.

This would effectively force independent journalists to go through a similar process as paid lobbyists—who are retained by corporations and other entities with the specific purpose of influencing lawmaking.

The legislation, Senate Bill 1316, is the latest apparent effort by DeSantis and his allies to stifle any sort of opposition within the state. Florida’s GOP, which has grown accustomed to unchecked one-party rule, has long-sought to create a culture of conformity laced with fear around the state government.

Florida’s 60-day legislative session kicks off on Tuesday, and this is one of a number of ludicrous and incredibly dangerous pieces of legislation that have been filed as the GOP enjoys a supermajority in both House and Senate for the first time in the state’s history.

Brodeur told Florida Politics that online bloggers are effectively “professional electioneers.”

“If lobbyists have to register and report, why shouldn’t paid bloggers?” he asked.

This quote shows Brodeur has a very clear misunderstanding of the role of a free press and the First Amendment, but that’s increasingly par for the senator’s course after a scandal-plagued tenure in the Legislature.

Last fall, while facing a difficult re-election campaign in an increasingly Democratic area of Central Florida, Brodeur, whose time in office has been embroiled in scandal, turned to attacking The Orlando Sentinel as a means to fundraise.

But this rhetoric doesn’t come out of nowhere.

Under DeSantis, Florida has turned increasingly authoritarian while he openly touts “freedom” as his mantra. DeSantis has continuously pushed the envelope as to what he can get away with.

In February, DeSantis became the latest Republican to mount an attack on defamation laws. DeSantis hosted a panel discussion on libel, which featured conservative legal minds who were clearly seeking novel ways to weaken the mainstream press.

The landmark 1964 decision in New York Times v Sullivan set the current high bar for public officials to sue the media, making it extremely difficult for them to win lawsuits. But Republicans in the Florida statehouse, led by Rep. Alex Andrade, also proposed a bill earlier this year to lower the bar on who is considered a public figure—as well as a lowered bar on what qualifies as defamation in the first place—effectively making it much easier for them to sue reporters.

With an increasingly gagged media, and fewer resources at major newspapers, DeSantis has been remarkably successful in avoiding the sort of scrutiny he would have had just a decade ago in the same office.

In many ways, despite his rhetoric, DeSantis’ recent behavior looks more Stalinist than anything else. He promotes one-party rule and authoritarian measures to crack down on dissent—for example, just this week Sen. Blaise Ingolia, a key DeSantis ally who is the former chair of the state’s Republican Party, filed legislation that would effectively eliminate the Florida Democratic Party.

It has been increasingly clear for a year or more that DeSantis looks abroad, to the likes of Hungary’s Viktor Orbán for inspiration. In Orbán, we observe a right-wing figure who mixes ethnocentric and religious hues with strict authoritarianism and a crackdown on a free press.

This is precisely how Governor DeSantis is proceeding as he seeks to win the 2024 GOP Presidential nomination, wrestling it away from former President Trump, who, while sharing DeSantis’ authoritarian thirst, doesn’t quite have the discipline or competence (or desire?) to go the full Orbán route.

Ironically, beyond the Rupert Murodch owned-media entities, the narrative promoting DeSantis’ potential Presidential run is being largely fueled by a small set of GOP-leaning bloggers. These bloggers are the ones DeSantis uses frequently to break stories, shape narratives and get out his message. The websites include The Florida Standard, The Floridian and The Florida Voice, all entities with little or no long-term involvement in covering Florida government and elections. Most have popped up in recent years in conjunction with DeSantis’ rise to power. These entities would presumably be exempted from disclosure under Broduer’s legislation, because rather than acting as a watchdog they lavish praise on the governor.

Florida in 2023 has become a cultural battleground in addition to a laboratory for the GOP to implement a vision of authoritarian government previously unseen in this country—at least since Woodrow Wilson’s crackdown on a free press during World War I. It’s ironic that DeSantis, who fancies himself as a Constitutional scholar and a defender of Federalism, is likely to support something that very clearly will run afoul of the First Amendment.

But those of us who live in Florida and cover state government long ago learned that DeSantis, for all his purported ideological zeal, is a master of projection. This is likely just another example of DeSantis throwing red meat to his base, while achieving the goal of stifling dissent in the process. This will all be accomplished while he continues to tout himself as a champion of “freedom,” and promote the state as “the free state of Florida.”

Nothing could be further from the truth.


https://www.thedailybeast.com/floridas-anti-political-blogging-bill-is-just-as-crazy-as-it-sounds
Mame
 
  2  
Fri 3 Mar, 2023 12:49 pm
@revelette1,
Wow. Just wow.
0 Replies
 
blatham
 
  2  
Fri 3 Mar, 2023 12:51 pm
@Walter Hinteler,
Wow. Is it also used there as a thoughtless indictment of progressive values/policies (ie Woke-ism is guilty of far too much empathy for others, particularly the disadvantaged and those who are different)?
0 Replies
 
Mame
 
  1  
Fri 3 Mar, 2023 12:57 pm
@revelette1,
revelette1 wrote:

Florida state Sen. Jason Brodeur filed legislation this week that would effectively force any blogger that writes about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, or any member of the Florida Cabinet or Legislature, to file registration paperwork with the state—or face fines.


Does this go for any blogger or journalist in the US or just Florida, do you know?
Region Philbis
 
  1  
Fri 3 Mar, 2023 02:02 pm
@Mame,

just Fla.

if not mistaken, state senators cannot introduce federal legislation...
0 Replies
 
revelette1
 
  2  
Fri 3 Mar, 2023 02:14 pm
@Mame,
Quote:
A bill proposed this week by a Republican state senator in Florida would require bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), his Cabinet officers and members of the Florida legislature to register with the state.

Bloggers who receive compensation for a given online post about an elected state officer would have to register with the Florida Office of Legislative Services or the Commission on Ethics — though the requirement would not extend to the websites of newspapers or similar sites.

“If a blogger posts to a blog about an elected state officer and receives, or will receive, compensation for that post, the blogger must register with the appropriate office … within 5 days after the first 164 by the blogger which mentions an elected state officer,” reads the bill, introduced by Republican state Sen. Jason Brodeur.

If additional posts about elected state officers were to be posted, the blogger would have to file monthly reports detailing where, when and by whom the post was published, plus the amount of compensation received. Failure to file reports could lead to fines.

The elected state officers covered by the proposed “Information Dissemination” bill are defined as “the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, a Cabinet officer, or any member of the Legislature.”

A blog is defined in the bill as “a website or webpage that hosts any blogger and is frequently updated with opinion, commentary, or business content” and a blog post as “an individual webpage on a blog which contains an article, a story, or a series of stories.”

The Hill has reached out to the governor’s office for comment.

.https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3882068-florida-bill-would-require-bloggers-to-register-before-writing-about-desantis/



Not free for long if DeSantis has his way, if he wins the US presidential election.

To tell the truth, the bill as described, it is hard to tell exactly who it would affect.
thack45
 
  2  
Fri 3 Mar, 2023 02:18 pm
@revelette1,
Remember when Florida passed the "Stop Social Media Censorship Act" that threatened to fine social media companies (excluding any such platform providers that also happen to own theme parks *wink*... ... until said providers later disagreed with Desantis *wink revoked*) 25k-250k a day for barring political candidates? Spoiler alert: the law is not enforceable since a federal judge deemed the law unconstitutional.

But there is something peculiar to me about these spray-and-pray, sometimes mind bogglingly inept efforts we're seeing, whether it's Florida lawmakers, or the MJT/Gaetz types. On the one hand, it puts me in mind of the many, many dimwitted, illegal and ultimately failed attempts in courts by the trump admin before them. From WaPo in 2019:
Quote:

In case after case, judges have rebuked Trump officials for failing to follow the most basic rules of governance for shifting policy, including providing legitimate explanations supported by facts and, where required, public input.

...

But regardless of whether the administration ultimately prevails, the rulings so far paint a remarkable portrait of a government rushing to implement far-reaching changes in policy without regard for long-standing rules against arbitrary and capricious behavior.


So maybe this is just more of the same, but maybe there's some sort of tactic here, like hoping to slip something past the goalie, or just a load of performative nonsense to wear people down. Idk I always have a difficult time grasping to what extent, if any, these people believe in what they're doing, and then from there, why they might be doing it. Messy messy...
0 Replies
 
Mame
 
  1  
Fri 3 Mar, 2023 02:41 pm
@revelette1,
So this is only for bloggers who receive "compensation" - do bloggers receive money for their blogs? I have no idea since I don't blog or read them. Surely this will be challenged?
0 Replies
 
Lash
 
  -3  
Fri 3 Mar, 2023 10:27 pm
@Lash,
Wow. This happened a hell of a lot faster than I thought it would.

Lash wrote:

Here comes the yuan!!

Listen for RussiaGate-level anti-China ‘news coverage’ soon and pervasive

https://www.reuters.com/markets/currencies/china-says-it-will-set-up-yuan-clearing-arrangements-brazil-2023-02-07/

Excerpt:

BEIJING, Feb 7 (Reuters) - China's central bank has signed a memorandum of understanding on setting up yuan clearing arrangements in Brazil, it said on Tuesday, in a move to help boost the currency's global clout.

The establishment of such arrangements for the renminbi (RMB), or the yuan, would be beneficial to cross-border transactions, and further promote bilateral trade and investment facilitation, the People's Bank of China said on Tuesday.
0 Replies
 
blatham
 
  2  
Sat 4 Mar, 2023 06:03 pm
The fascist turn of mind has a strong affinity for pogroms.
Quote:
Right Wing Watch @RightWingWatch
7h
Michael Knowles tells CPAC that "there can be no middle way in dealing with transgenderism. ... Transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely."
(audience cheers - I've seen the video footage)
0 Replies
 
Lash
 
  -1  
Sat 4 Mar, 2023 08:32 pm
The evolutionary bastardization of the word woke has got to be etched in a stone somewhere or no one will believe it.

It started with black people reminding / supporting one another to stay vigilant, not be cheated, used, mistreated, jumped etc. “Stay woke.”

The next iteration I was aware of was during the Sanders campaigns. As we watched how the establishment lied and cheated us and our candidate, everybody kept saying, “I’m fully awake for the first time.” “My eyes are open.” “I’m awake now.” These comments morphed to “You woke?”

I guess this signaled the word’s entrance into the vernacular of what used to be called progressives. Lefties no longer use the term progressive after neocons like Clinton, Pelosi, and Cortez tried to adopt it. So, we weren’t sure what to call ourselves but our brand of wokeness was something we wanted to quantify, compare, and understand. What do you know, when did you know it, how do you know it?

But the term woke is now being used by Republicans to denote mostly transgender people and their supporters. Woke people are seemingly grabbing kids out of classrooms, forcing them to listen to drag queens reading books and Woke teachers are convincing children to have gender reassignment surgery.

A great deal of **** has been perpetrated on a good word.
I hate it when that happens.


0 Replies
 
Lash
 
  -2  
Sun 5 Mar, 2023 06:09 am
Anti fascist Russell Brand telling MSNBC that they’re no less a propaganda machine than Fox. 🔥🔥🔥🔥

https://twitter.com/antoniosabatojr/status/1632342501825601538?s=46&t=3Ft2OsU--3a-g2Pi9CvBtA
izzythepush
 
  4  
Sun 5 Mar, 2023 06:13 am
@Lash,
Russell Brand is an untalented narcissist.

That cretin doesn't know what fascism is.

All he knows is self publicity, crap films and unfunny comedy.

That privileged piece of crap is about as fascist as it gets.
0 Replies
 
Lash
 
  -2  
Sun 5 Mar, 2023 06:54 am
@Lash,
Lash wrote:

This power to censure and erase speech could be the mightiest weapon ever known if it is misused.
hightor
 
  4  
Sun 5 Mar, 2023 07:13 am
@Lash,
For a small percentage of one species of mammal? I don't think so. Industrial pollution caused by weaponized hyper-consumerism threatens to make the planet unlivable and some people are crying because a quack gets booted off of a social media platform for hawking Ivermectin as a cure for covid. Some people's values are pretty skewed.
Walter Hinteler
 
  2  
Sun 5 Mar, 2023 08:09 am
@Lash,
Lash wrote:
Lash wrote:
This power to censure and erase speech could be the mightiest weapon ever known if it is misused.

Here in Germany free speech may be restricted by laws. For example, insults are not covered by the right to freedom of expression*. Blatant falsehoods such as Holocaust denial or the spreading of fake news are also not covered by freedom of expression.

*
Basic Law wrote:
Article 5
[Freedom of expression, arts and sciences]

(1) Every person shall have the right freely to express and disseminate his opinions in speech, writing and pictures and to inform himself without hindrance from generally accessible sources. Freedom of the press and freedom of reporting by means of broadcasts and films shall be guaranteed. There shall be no censorship.

(2) These rights shall find their limits in the provisions of general laws, in provisions for the protection of young persons and in the right to personal honour.
Lash
 
  -1  
Sun 5 Mar, 2023 08:12 am
@hightor,
If the US government can force the EPA to tell the American public that the poisonous chemicals East Palestine, OH is drinking are harmless and their dead animals aren’t really dead, that is how the world burns.

The death of transparent, honest, accountable speech is the death of the world.

This is our situation and this is why the world is dying.

Try to connect dots without your agenda driving your speech.
0 Replies
 
Lash
 
  -1  
Sun 5 Mar, 2023 08:13 am
@Walter Hinteler,
Walter Hinteler wrote:

Lash wrote:
Lash wrote:
This power to censure and erase speech could be the mightiest weapon ever known if it is misused.

Here in Germany free speech may be restricted by laws. For example, insults are not covered by the right to freedom of expression*. Blatant falsehoods such as Holocaust denial or the spreading of fake news are also not covered by freedom of expression.

*
Basic Law wrote:
Article 5
[Freedom of expression, arts and sciences]

(1) Every person shall have the right freely to express and disseminate his opinions in speech, writing and pictures and to inform himself without hindrance from generally accessible sources. Freedom of the press and freedom of reporting by means of broadcasts and films shall be guaranteed. There shall be no censorship.

(2) These rights shall find their limits in the provisions of general laws, in provisions for the protection of young persons and in the right to personal honour.


I’m pretty sure you know my opinion of Germany’s laws censuring speech by now. Tragic mistake.
0 Replies
 
 

Related Topics

Obama '08? - Discussion by sozobe
Let's get rid of the Electoral College - Discussion by Robert Gentel
McCain's VP: - Discussion by Cycloptichorn
Food Stamp Turkeys - Discussion by H2O MAN
The 2008 Democrat Convention - Discussion by Lash
McCain is blowing his election chances. - Discussion by McGentrix
Snowdon is a dummy - Discussion by cicerone imposter
TEA PARTY TO AMERICA: NOW WHAT?! - Discussion by farmerman
 
Copyright © 2024 MadLab, LLC :: Terms of Service :: Privacy Policy :: Page generated in 1.43 seconds on 12/23/2024 at 08:50:16