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OMG thank you for this.

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What a GREAT piece.

"Fascism is “where we’re heading” now, but Wolfe saw the first stirrings of it over 17 years ago."

I think I started using that word in 2004. I was a Republican totally opposed to what Bush was doing to Iraq and the human toll it was taking, both Soldier and civilian. When the Baptists and fundys started voicing their support for "pro-life" George W. Bush for re-election I started writing letters to the local papers calling them out on what I saw as hypocrisy. Their reactions were nothing short of fascist. And some were (now former) close friends. But I had no idea it would only get worse.

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Dave, in my view baptists of the fundamentalist sort and the rest of the fundys have a kind of religious "faith" vis. belief system that should not be confused with the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. Of course they wouldn't agree since they claim to believe every word in the Bible especially if those words speak of LBGTQ sex as abominations for which those who practice these "abominations" should be stoned to death, etc. The politics of Jesus is far far away from the politics promoted by the GOP.

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Excellent! Thank you, John.

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May 25, 2021Liked by John Stoehr

Having lived thru Reagan as governor (and the horror of watching him and his handlers/minions heading to DC) I can safely say that if you were my age then, you'd have made all these arguments then too. The Republicans by that time had given up all pretense of serious thought except for 'hoover all the money, consolidate all the power'. Everything was lies – nothing was defensible from a logical or substantive standpoint. But it was clear they knew all that, and continued on because they also knew that without lies they were nothing. That's what I was telling anyone who would listen by around 1980. And the lies are the point – they are the touchstones of the movement (and place Republicanism firmly in the line of succession from Mussolini, Hitler, Hirohito, Stalin...) The only thing they can't pull off is the operatic performance. And don't bother to suggest Trump's an exception – he's just a bad standup comic.

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Back in the 80s I was in my twenties living up in the Rust Belt. What an economic nightmare hellscape. And there was nothing I could do about it. I could write a book.

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I have lots of friends from Ohio, Michigan, Illinois...and I spent some small time there kinda passin' thru. There are lots of what appear to be just entirely worn out places (and not just in those states, but many others too). Interestingly (or maybe not) I worked in a small factory in California all thru the 70's/80's and thoroughly enjoyed it (tho I am glad I left by the 90's). So my work experience does not align with the Rust Belt refugees. But I was just lucky, I think. Luck/privilege being pretty interchangeable in my case...

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The economy around there in the late 70s thought the mid 80s was really bad. Factories couldn't compete with Asia but at the same time refused to invest in and upgrade their American facilities and just wanted to offshore everything. Why pay American wages when someone else is willing do the work for pennies on the dollar. Plants were closing everywhere and you literally had to buy your way in to anyplace that paid well. That's the short version.

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Lordy, John - you nail it (almost) every single time. This post is spot on.

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This is a real good one, John. Have you emailed Alan Wolfe? You should.

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