Bush & the Rise of 'Managed-Democracy'

[True_Blue]

When conservatives talk of George W. Bush’s “transformational” role in American politics, they are referring to a fundamental change they seek in the U.S. system of government in which the Republican Party will dominate for years to come and power will not really be up for grabs in general elections.

Under this vision of a “managed-democracy,” elections will still be held but a variety of techniques will ensure that no Democrat has a reasonable chance to win. Most important will be the use of sophisticated propaganda and smear tactics amplified through a vast conservative media infrastructure, aided and abetted by a compliant mainstream press.

This concept also might be called the “Putin-izing” of American politics, where one side’s dominance of media, financial resources and the ability to intimidate opponents is overwhelming – as now exists in Russia under President Vladimir Putin. Crucial to Putin’s political control is how the major Russian news media fawns over the Russian strongman, a former KGB chief.

In the United States, the conservative/Republican consolidation of power is not yet complete. But it appears clear that the traditional checks and balances, including the national press corps, are now so weak and compromised that they won’t present any meaningful resistance. That means new strategies must be devised and new institutions must be created if this one-party-state future is to be averted.

more....
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2005/021205.html

[burythehatchet]

1. I can think of at least a few thousand people on our side

who have been operating under this reality since 2000.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Democracy is not managed

Democracy is a state where:

• Citizenship is universal. Each person born within the boundaries of the state is a citizen, as is one born abroad to at least one citizen parent or who swears allegiance to the state in a rite of naturalization.
• Citizenship is equal. Each citizen has an equal opportunity to participate in and influence public affairs. Every adult citizen shall be enfranchised with the right to vote. Decisions are made by a majority voted based on the principle of one man/one vote.
• Citizenship is inalienable. A guaranteed set of civil liberties is in place to assure full and open public discourse of civic affairs. No citizen may be stripped of his citizenship or otherwise punished by the state for expressing any point of view, no matter how unpopular or even absurd.

Bush's concept of government doesn't resemble that in the least.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. 'Putin-izing'

From the Wall Street Journal via the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies
Dated Friday February 4

Caligula in Moscow
By Garry Kasparov

Democratic reform in the former Soviet Union has been much in the news lately thanks to the victory of Viktor Yushchenko in Ukraine. Citizens took to the streets in the millions to protest and force a new election when his Kremlin-backed opponent tried to steal it the first time around. President George W. Bush came in dead last in the race to congratulate the new Ukrainian president. He waited for his "good friend" Vladimir Putin's own tardy acknowledgment that he had been unsuccessful in undermining Ukrainian democracy as effectively as he is dismantling Russia's.

In Mr. Putin's view, Ukraine provides a dangerous model. He is careful not to make such mistakes as allowing an independent judiciary review election results and letting opposition politicians speak on television. These basics of dictatorship have recently been accompanied by other disturbing scenes on the Russian political scene. In his ongoing battle for total control over every aspect of Russian life, President Putin's weapon of choice has been a justice system that provides anything but justice. An expanding network of judges and district attorneys is being used to persecute the opposition and enrich Putin loyalists. A puppet judiciary has been created to accompany the puppet parliament. To add insult to injury, a man from Putin's St. Petersburg with no judicial experience was just named to the highest arbitration court in the land, a move akin to Caligula's naming a horse to the Senate.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov painted a very attractive picture of Russia to eager potential investors. I would love to live in the country that he described! Vladimir Ryzhkov, one of the few independent voices in the Russian parliament, presented the opposite view, a rather gloomy portrait that coincides with those of most external analysts. While Mr. Ryzhkov challenged the party line abroad, the Kremlin responded by having the attorney general's office initiate an investigation in his home district of Altai, Siberia. What they are looking for won't be clear until they find it, but they always do.

Remember the December auction of the Yugansk subsidiary of the Yukos oil giant, which was won by the unknown entity "Baikalfinancegroup." As I predicted in these pages, they and their $9.4 billion existed only on paper, leaving the prize under the control of a state-owned energy company run by Mr. Putin's deputy chief of staff. The only surprise is how badly the swindlers are covering up their crime. The government ministers and bankers involved are all giving different stories about where this mysterious money came from and no one can say where it has gone. Just like that, the money supposedly needed to pay the Yukos tax debt has disappeared, which really isn't so hard because it never existed.

My apologies for posting from a right wing source; Mr. Kasparov's piece contains enough interesting facts and opinion to warrant it. In any event, any expropriation of property being carried out by Putin is not being done with a view to the general welfare of the Russian people but with enhancing Mr. Putin's hold on power. It is not socialism, but out-and-out tyranny.

In addition to being the former world chess champion, Garry Kasparov is a business consultant and a lifelong critic of Russian politics.

[applegrove]

4. It is one thing to continuously lie to poor Soviet Schooled Russian

a complete other thing to do that to Freedom loving Americans. The farmers will have long memories and will support the left. The house of cards is already falling apart.

[pretzel4gore]

5. the big tough guys who are heroes in Gopusa (as 'gannon' etal calls it)

really aren't that tough, i fear.....why is rush limbah still propagandizing after nearly 20 years of attacking the US? Fox 'news' and cnn etc are openly supporting someone who is trying to destroy the country as it used to be, yet the big toughs do nada (too darn busy bombing schools and apartments in iraq maybe)
applegrove; i do hope you're right, but long suffering humanity is that way for a reason....still, 'enthusiasm is beauty' as my hero William Blake once said so here's to you :toast:

[applegrove]

6. Thank you - I don't know why I am so polyannaish

Thank you - I don't know why I am so pollyannaish - there is no reason for it except perhaps I know how strong a whole group of people (academics, leaders, nuns, bicycle delivery boys, mums, granddad’s, etc. etc.) can be. And that you are "breaking on through to the other side". And that you are not even well organized and do not have your leaders yet ... so you have no idea how strong you will be. You will take your country back.

I also believe in the pendulum theory in politics.

Besides - nobody else on the planet is drinking the Kool Aid. Perhaps a little wine here and there. But Kool Aid is a very American thing. I come here and I talk to people like you and it makes me very, very hopeful! I'm sorry. I am divorced from you situation because I don't live in your country (though the neocons are trying very hard in Canada these days - it just falls flat). I cannot help it!! I feel optimistic.

I am very impressed with how much you love your country. :bounce:

[pretzel4gore]

7. i recently read a biography of Orwell

and George recounted when he was in the east seeing a child of ten or so herding a water buffalo along a path...there was no one around and the lil boy was dreaming of something far away...the bufalo was huge and could have easily defied the boy, or even turned on him if he desired, but of course that never happened...Orwell said he recognized that mankind is like that buffalo, and the ruling class is the lil boy (w/out any of the boy's innocence or charm) ...the insane abuse we suffer at the hands of our rulers is frustrating when one knows what the real situation is...
btw Blake also once said 'If a fool would but persist in his folly, he'd become a saint'... i have no idea what William meant, but it's clear polyanna was closer to William Blake (and Einstein, Shakespeare, Gandhi, Christ etc) then ayn rand or herbert spencer or any other of the rightwing's goofball heroes

[applegrove]

9. Thing is I've been through the most horrid things - more horrid

than what you suffer now. The trials you face were daily for me. And I have so much faith in you. And am actually jealous of your numbers. And I know you will do well. But I'll read your post (cover to cover) and tell you if I am still as hopeful and as sure in you and your eventual ability to overcome.

And yes - imagine having to have Ayn Rand as your hero? Nuff said!!!

[struggle4progress]

8. kick