Could a true fascist rise to the US presidency and use the military to take our own nation by force to become dictator?

CH (MAJ) William Beaver — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 16:17:17 -0500

Could a true facist rise from within our nation's ranks to become so popular with the citizenry that he is able to become President of the USA and use the military and executive order to stage a hostile takeover of our American government and set himself us as an emporer or supreme leader? How vulnerable is our way of government? Is our Republic too strong to prevent a Hitler-like leader to rise to power? Some call the current POTUS facist, previous POTUSes facist, and some of this year's candidates facist. What would allow one to seriously rise in our ranks?

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Feb 29 at 2016 4:20 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 16:20:11 -0500

I hope and pray that it will never happen CH (MAJ) William Beaver. The system of checks and balances within the three federal branches of government and the apportionment of responsibilities which were divided between those given to the Federal government with the remainder given to the people and the sates was a wonderful concept. I believe that the Lord God helped the founders devise our founding documents. If we ever have an avowed fascist as POTUS it will be a clear sign that this nation has abandoned God in large measure.

Response by PO1 Nathan Watts made Feb 29 at 2016 4:35 PM

PO1 Nathan Watts — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 16:35:48 -0500

To know the answer to this question, one only needs to look to the actual definition of "Demagogue."
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A Demagogue /ˈdɛməɡɒɡ/ (from Greek dēmagōgos, dēmos ‘the people’ + agōgos ‘leading’)
[1] or rabble-rouser is a political leader in a democracy who appeals to the emotions, fears, prejudices, and ignorance of the lower socioeconomic classes in order to gain power and promote political motives. Demagogues usually oppose deliberation and advocate immediate, violent action to address a national crisis; they accuse moderate and thoughtful opponents of weakness. Demagogues have appeared in democracies since ancient Athens. They exploit a fundamental weakness in democracy: because ultimate power is held by the people, nothing stops the people from giving that power to someone who appeals to the lowest common denominator of a large segment of the population.
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Note the words "...someone who appeals to the lowest common denominator..."

'nuff said.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 29 at 2016 4:36 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 16:36:02 -0500

The system of checks and balances currently in place would not allow a fascist to take complete power and override the Constitution. This argument seems to reappear every time a Republican seems to be the likely election winner since fascism is on the far right of the political spectrum, though many forget that the German National Socialist party (Nazis) also share many aspects from the left of the spectrum as well.
At the end of the day, our Oath of Office is to support and defend the Constitution, not a monarchy or office of authority or a political party. We swear to defend it against enemies foreign and domestic. Everything is possible, but it would be extraordinarily difficult for a fascist to overcome the system and the oaths and the leaders who take those oaths very seriously, especially how we almost have a monopoly on the means of violence.

Response by COL Jean (John) F. B. made Feb 29 at 2016 4:36 PM

COL Jean (John) F. B. — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 16:36:59 -0500

CH (MAJ) William Beaver - It appears to me that we are on such a path in our country right now.

While I wholeheartedly agree with LTC Stephen F. and CPT Private RallyPoint Member about the system our founders put in place with the three branches of government, checks and balances, and all that, it only works as intended if the population holds government officials to their oaths of office and makes them stay in their respective lanes. Politicians who ignore the Constitution, Supreme Court justices who ignore what the Constitution says and apply "progressive" interpretations to it (and, in so doing, overturning the electorate and Congress), DOJ officials who fail to uphold the laws of the land, politics of race-baiting and divisiveness, and on and on, unless checked, will get us there sooner than later.

Anybody who thinks it cannot happen in America is asleep at the switch. We are much closer to that reality now than we have ever been in our history. This country must make a major course change, or we will go the way of other great societies before us.

Response by COL Jon Thompson made Feb 29 at 2016 4:43 PM

COL Jon Thompson — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 16:43:10 -0500

Germany was one of the most modern and "civilized" nations in the 1930's with a culture that went back centuries. If it could happen there, it could happen anywhere. I look at how ignorant our citizens are now of our history and heritage. Given the right circumstances and leader, it could definitely happen here.

Response by SPC Andrew Griffin made Feb 29 at 2016 5:05 PM

SPC Andrew Griffin — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 17:05:57 -0500

The Country will NEVER Have it!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 29 at 2016 5:20 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 17:20:10 -0500

No, it will never occur.

I swore an oath to support and defend the constitution of the United States of America...not to follow through with unjust and immoral orders. I'm hoping at least 99.99% of everyone else that's a member of our Armed Services feels the same.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 29 at 2016 5:53 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 17:53:10 -0500

This will happen through assimilation, covertly. I don't have supporting documents off the top of my head. But I'm on the understanding that the general consensus of people over the course of US history has drastically changed. The Republicans and Democrats have more or less switched sides (inverted political platform policies) and as a whole, the US has shifted bit by bit from Constitutionalist to Democratic, and thus has generally leaned more and more to the democratic side. even the Republicans with their "conservative principles" are on shyly based on conservative principles that were the norm 200 years ago.

Even Hitler has this assimilation mechanism down... (I'm pretty sure it was him) that said that change what is in the school books and in 3 generations the country will think how you want them to think. You don't have to literally or figuratively exile/destroy/kill anything outright... that would create a huge backlash, you have to overtake through every possible avenue with the long-run always in sight. First change the history/school books every couple years to reflect the principles you want the society to deem as acceptable. All the while legislatively moving/removing the people in politics to take their ideas out of the mains stream. Control the media, covertly by making the things you don't want the public to know "classified" and only releasing information that is 'deemed safe' for the public to know... know the media and public can only debate the points/facts of a topic that you want them to even think about. That will make what appears to be a divided media talking about what appears to be two sides of a topic, but both of their sides of the topic is on the same side that you allow them to even know... essentially you are manipulating the media, and thus manipulating the public knowledge.

As the power of the local government are moved to the State, and the power of the States are moved to the Federal government, those powers (though executive action) are moving towards the Executive Branch, there becomes a power bias leaning towards an individual branch, which is comprised of a single person... its no wonder why America is so up in arms over who is the President... and not so riled up over who is in the Congress, and in the State and County and City officials... There is only a tiny uproar over who will replace the empty seat in the Supreme court

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 29 at 2016 8:29 PM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 20:29:16 -0500

"Power is not a means, it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship." - George Orwell, 1984

Response by MSgt Rosemary Connolly made Feb 29 at 2016 10:02 PM

MSgt Rosemary Connolly — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 22:02:27 -0500

Sheeples have spoken. If you don't follow the sheep, somehow you end up dead and out of the picture lately.

Response by SPC Darren Koele made Feb 29 at 2016 11:21 PM

SPC Darren Koele — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 23:21:20 -0500

In my opinion, they will use the force of the courts and a heavy handed government to bend people to their will. Only when they think these will no longer be sufficient, I would not put it past someone to use the force of the military and government agencies.
All these complaints about corporate profits and sending jobs overseas sound very fascist. It's the fact that corporations are making large profits, it's that the corporations aren't considering the "needs" of the country superior to their own. That is how fascists think, country first. And I still haven't forgotten "you didn't build that". There is more to this statement than it seems. The idea that you are somehow unable to build a business by yourself demonizes individuality. Fascism is very much anti-individual. The collective and the state take precedence over the individual. We have seen this get worse over the years as you slowly pushed out of your child's education and upbringing (it takes a village... remember that?). Then there's "you didn't build that". Then there is the demonizing of those who don't want to be part of a union (yes, you cease to be an individual in a union; at least in the workplace). If you become wealthy, there is no way you did that on your own. The only possible way is you "stole it" from the poor an working class. This is fascist thinking. Any success you have, money you make, is not yours; you didn't earn it. The fascist morality system will have the collective use the force of the state to tell you what is a fair income, how much money you can save, what size house you can live in, how to spend your money, what to pay your workers, how to run your business, even what beliefs you are allowed to have, etc. Sound familiar? How much of this have your heard from our government, on message boards and social media, during protests.

Yeah, it's coming. It's just a question of "what will our military leadership do? When does the order break down? Will it end at the top? Will it have to get to the division level? Brigade level? Or wherever before someone says NO? It could pose a turbulent time in the military if we get this far.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Mar 2 at 2016 12:48 PM

MCPO Roger Collins — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 12:48:48 -0500

Fascism definition, (sometimes initial capital letter) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism

Looks like we made it, already.

Response by SPC Jay Peltier made Mar 5 at 2018 5:50 PM

SPC Jay Peltier — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 17:50:41 -0500

I know this is an old post, but now with our president talking about "president for life", wanting to abolish freedom of the press etc... This is sounding more and more like he would try if he could...

I still believe in our system of government, but Trump is pushing these boundaries... Up until now, i never thought a president would ever even think such a thing.. To me that's TREASON.. but look at his recent comments!!!