Category Archives: Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism describes a form of government characterized by strict obedience to the authority of the state, which often maintains and enforces social control through the use of oppressive measures. The term may also be used to describe the personality or management style of an individual or organization which seeks to dominate those within its sphere of influence and has little regard for building consensus.

Use of this category typically indicates other categories, like National Security, also apply.

Tracking the Growth of American Authoritarianism

“Can There Really Be Fascist People In A Democracy?”
Libertarians are stealthily taking over America.
Since the 1971 Powell Memo, America has moved closer and closer to Fascism.

 

2012 Election – Are We Going to Return to a National Legalized Gozzle-up Ponzi Scheme?

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Andy Hailey

(The following is a reposting of an entry from August of 2010 with minor updates.) This posting was inspired by an article at Rational Revolution. It takes another look at the disproportionate shift in income to the mega and ultra … Continue reading →

  • Related Web Article: <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/09/17/856711/ten-inequality-charts-occupy/" title="Romney, Ryan and the Devil's Budget: Will America Keep Its Soul?" target="_blank">Occupy Wall Street One Year Later: Ten Key Charts About Inequality</a>, <a href="http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/11872-henry-a-giroux-why-dont-americans-care-about-democracy-at-home" title="The richest 400 Americans owning as much as the bottom 150 million put together" target="_blank">Why Don't Americans Care About Democracy at Home?</a>
  • Supporting Articles: <a href="http://www.offthechartsblog.org/understanding-the-federal-tax-debate/" title="A compilation of key CBPP analyses, blog posts, and graphics that provide context for the debate around federal taxes" target="_blank">Understanding the Federal Tax Debate</a>
Posted in Authoritarianism, Corporate Intrusion   |   Tagged   |   Leave a comment   |  

Moral Principles – What Conservatives Know and Progressives Take for Granted

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Andy Hailey

Recent political ads lie about President Obama and his suggestions to the states on the national welfare program. As stated in a recent Truthout article, the producers of these ads are targeting “white working class voters” who harbor “deep resentment … Continue reading →

  • More ...: <a href="http://www.thelittleblueblog.org/the-little-blue-book-3/" title="THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THINKING AND TALKING DEMOCRATIC" target="_blank">The Little Blue Book</a>
Posted in Authoritarianism, Common Wealth, Protect & Empower   |   Tagged   |   Leave a comment   |  

Destroying America’s Soul – The Devil’s Budget

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Andy Hailey

In his latest article, George Lakoff discusses how The Devils Budget proposed by the opponents to President Obama will eventually destroy the soul of our democracy by defunding all of its Public infrastructure: public protection, public empowerment, public education, public … Continue reading →

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Authoritarian Plan for a Koch Brothers’ America – Update to The Powell Plan

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Andy Hailey

Just over a year ago, I wrote a post about The Powell Memo. This memo has been referred to by others like Henry Giroux and Richard Wolff. This memo, by Lewis F. Powell and dated August 23, 1971, was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Authoritarianism, Corporate Intrusion   |   Tagged ,   |   1 Comment   |  

The Aurora, Colorado, Shootings – Fear Based Gun Ownership Fulfills an Authoritarian Need to Severely Punish Those Not Like Them

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Andy Hailey

Those most likely to become authoritarians (social dominators or followers) are raised from a young age in a strict-father environment where violent punishment is used aggressively. And, according to James Dobson, the sooner it is applied, the better. Dread of … Continue reading →

  • Related WAWG Article: <a href="https://the-wawg-blog.org/?p=2494" target="_blank" title="The extreme right of the extreme right">Right-wing Authoritarian Belief in Strict Punishment Produces Domestic Terrorists</a>
  • Supporting Articles: <a href="http://truth-out.org/news/item/10469-colorado-shooting-is-about-more-than-gun-culture" target="_blank" title="Brutal masculine authority and the celebration of violence it embraces have become the new norm in America.">Colorado Shooting Is About More Than Gun Culture</a>
  • Related Web Article: <a href="http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/07/colorado-theater-copycat-shooting-suspect-arrested-in-anne-arundel-county-78231.html" target="_blank" title="Neil Prescott, 28, was taken into custody in Crofton on Thursday night">Maryland mass shooting suspect, arrested</a>
Posted in Authoritarianism, Human Rights Abuse, Obsession with Punishment   |   Tagged   |   2 Comments   |  

Our Empathy and Education Deficits – Nurtured by Right-wing Authoritarians, But Beatable

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Andy Hailey

The two deficits, their causes, and solutions summarized below from writings by former Senator Barack Obama and Professor Henry Giroux, author of many books including Zombie Politics and Casino Capitalism, are much more critical to America’s future than the deficit … Continue reading →

  • Supporting Articles: <a href="http://www.cognitivepolicyworks.com/blog/2012/06/22/the-real-reason-conservatives-always-win/" target="_blank" title="When two groups compete, the one with the most social cohesion wins in the long run.">The REAL Reason Conservatives Always Win</a>
  • Related WAWG Article: <a href="http://empathiccivilization.com/" target="_blank" title="The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis">The Empathic Civilization</a>
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Authoritarian War on Women – Who’s Going to Stop American Authoritarianism?

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Andy Hailey

The American Warfare State Is Bringing an End to American Democracy … In my post, Authoritarian Control Requires War, a War Mentality, Enemies, and a Vivid Imagination, I listed the various, mostly real, and a few imaginary wars started by … Continue reading →

  • Supporting Articles: <a href="http://www.cognitivepolicyworks.com/blog/2012/04/19/the-war-on-women/" target="_blank" title="It is time to call out the bullies who shroud patriarchal domination of women under the guise of religious dogma and partisan politics.">The War on Women and What to Do About It</a>
  • Related WAWG Article: <a href="http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/8859-violence-usa-the-warfare-state-and-the-brutalizing-of-everyday-life" target="_blank" title="if the United States is to make a claim on democracy, it must develop a politics that views violence as a moral monstrosity and war as virulent pathology.">Violence, USA: The Warfare State and the Brutalizing of Everyday Life</a>
Posted in Authoritarianism, Rampant Sexism   |   Leave a comment   |  

The Four Fundamentalisms of America’s Authoritarian State – Threats to Our Democracy

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Andy Hailey

The excerpts below are from a recent article by Henry Giroux, author of Zombie Politics and Culture in the Age of Casino Capitalism, who discusses the major fundamentalisms of our growing authoritarian state. But first, my two cents: There is … Continue reading →

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The 2012 Authoritarian Strategy and How Democrats Could Lose The Presidency

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Andy Hailey

George Lakoff, professor of linguistics at UC Berkeley, has published an article called The Santorum Strategy. Here are some excerpts if you don’t have time for the whole article: …The Republican presidential campaign is about a lot more than the … Continue reading →

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Authoritarian Control Requires War, a War Mentality, Enemies, and a Vivid Imagination

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Andy Hailey

WAR … WAR … WAR … WAR I guess the authoritarian wars began in 1971 when President Nixon launched the war on drugs to combat the heroine addictions of our Vietnam veterans. This 40 year war has not been won … Continue reading →

  • Related Web Site: <a href="http://davidswanson.org/outlawry" target="_blank" title="When the World Outlawed War">How people in the United States and around the world worked to abolish war as a legitimate act of state policy and won in 1928</a>
  • Supporting Articles: <a href="http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/8859-violence-usa-the-warfare-state-and-the-brutalizing-of-everyday-life" target="_blank" title="if the United States is to make a claim on democracy, it must develop a politics that views violence as a moral monstrosity and war as virulent pathology.">Violence, USA: The Warfare State and the Brutalizing of Everyday Life</a>
Posted in Authoritarianism, Enemy/Scapegoat, Human Rights Abuse, Obsession with Punishment   |   1 Comment   |