As you probably know, on Thursday, Joe Biden was speaking at a fundraiser in Maryland, during which he said: “What we’re seeing now is either the beginning or the death knell of an extreme MAGA philosophy,” Biden said. “It’s not just Trump, it’s the entire philosophy that underpins the — I’m going to say something, it’s like semi-fascism.”
He actually got off to an earlier start before that at a speech at a local high school and did have some semi-kind words for Gov. Larry Hogan (R-Md.) stating: “We disagree… but at least he’s within the mainstream of the Republican Party… I respect conservative Republicans. I don’t respect these MAGA Republicans.”
Well, at least Hogan isn’t a fascist. But if were him, I would be very careful when it comes to Democrat accolades. These are the same people, after all, who turned on Liz Cheney almost immediately after she lost the Wyoming primary and who then had no further use for her.
Biden bloopers are nothing new, and you could easily fill a lazy afternoon watching them. And of course, leftists calling conservatives Nazis and fascists is nothing new. I was called a fascist as far back as 2011 when I was on the air. But when a president, even one with a reputation for gaffes and comments that boggle the mind, calls people who support his chief political opponent fascists, we have left the realm of the quasi-comedic and drifted into very dangerous rhetoric.
Some thought that Biden might have been engaging in a bit of hyperbole. But when White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who has never been known for her eloquence or organization, was asked about that very possibility, doubled down on her boss’s comments instead of trying to turn down the heat. I’ll let Ms. Jean-Pierre speak for herself.
Karine Jean-Pierre doubles down in calling Republicans “semi-fascist.” pic.twitter.com/Gx66CKuA4t
— Catch Up (@CatchUpNetwork) August 26, 2022
Back in the good old days of Jen Psaki, one got the impression that she at least knew she was regurgitating bovine excrement and was doing so with a wink and a smile. I always figured Psaki looked at the job as a great line on her resume. But Jean-Pierre looked positively gleeful that the f-word was finally out there. Or maybe she was excited that she finally sounded coherent. That notwithstanding, when a press secretary confirms an outrageous comment by the president, we should take notice. That is not a word that unites people. That is a word that divides. It is a serious accusation that cannot be walked back, even if someone wants to do so.
If the comment was not just another unfiltered thought that somehow escaped Biden’s lips and handlers, we must take it at face value. Referring to MAGA Republicans as semi-fascists is more than just extremely inflammatory, irresponsible, and un-presidential. It is a move designed not only to further divide the country but also an attempt to divide the opposition party. And to demonize people who don’t think the way the state wants them to.
So, let’s play a game called Fascist or Not Fascist. Or Totalitarian or Not Totalitarian. You pick. Ready? Let’s set the timer and… GO!
- Imprisoning people for ostensibly minor crimes without a trial and bail.
- Letting non-Americans flood the borders since they may prove to be useful voters, even though drugs, crime, and human trafficking are all results of this policy.
- Forcing the population to move to the preferred type of energy by bankrupting them at the gas tank while enjoying the benefits of crony capitalism.
- Selecting cabinet members who willingly and knowingly violate the Hatch Act.
- Using government law enforcement to paint dissenters as terrorists.
- Using government law enforcement to paint parents as terrorists.
- Using government law enforcement and the power of the press to suppress information that may reveal potential criminal activities.
- Using government law enforcement to raid the home of a political rival while ignoring issues in one’s own party.
- Sending an ominous message by hiring and arming record numbers of government agents.
- Brokering public health crises to control the public.
- Routinely bypassing the legislative branch with executive orders.
- Stumping for votes by shoving student loan debt onto people who didn’t take out student loans.
- Encouraging people to protest outside of the homes of Supreme Court justices who make decisions that are not popular with his party.
- Handing over millions of dollars in military equipment and assets to terrorists.
Give yourself one point for every time you picked Fascist or Totalitarian. If you have a score of 9 or less, get your head out of the sand. You’re being played.
This is an old tactic. Accuse your opponent of something outrageous to deflect attention from your misdoings. And if you are okay with any of the above, remember that it is not just conservatives’ rights that are being violated. Yours are being violated as well.
I’m not a MAGA person, but I do know that totalitarianism begins with identifying and isolating “enemies” of the state. And calling MAGA Republicans “semi-fascists” is just one more step toward a one-party system. And for you leftists, today it is MAGA Republicans. One day, it may be you.
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