Actual fascism, oligarchy, and the threat to democracy

It turns out that the federal government was acting like “fascists” after all. And Bernie was right: there was an “oligarchy.” But it was created not by Trump, but by the Obama White House with the Justice Department, the Intelligence agencies, and the legacy media. Our “democracy” was being attacked. 

They legitimatized lies, innuendos, and half-truths into formal documents and intelligence briefings, collaborating with Democrats in Congress and coordinated with the media to attack Donald Trump as a candidate, President-elect, and President.

It’s now crystal clear to anyone who genuinely cares about the Constitution that even in the most benign reading of the reports released by intelligence agencies recently, there was a fascist-like oligarchy put into place by the Democrats to try to keep power, and inhibit — if not undo — the 2016 election of Donald Trump. And those journalists, elected officials, and retired intelligence officials who tried to raise alarms were dismissed as partisans and conspiracy theorists, or “black-balled” from serious conversations. 

Ironically for years, left-wing activists, Democrat politicians, and many of the legacy media have been talking about, writing about, even screaming about “fascism,” accusing Republicans, Trump and even GOP voters of being “fascists.” Most don’t really know what the word means, nor do they care. Most don’t know the history — how it was created, put into practice, and used to grow the power of the state and its leaders. Literally killing enemies or putting them in prison, taking over businesses, and taking away private property.

They do not understand or care to appreciate their ignorance — and the irony — of calling Trump and many Republicans “fascists” for implementing laws, executive orders and policies that make the federal government weaker, smaller and less powerful. And Trump’s administration has been focused on making sure that all voices are heard. Very un-fascist.

What their screams and temper tantrums seem to indicate is that Trump and the GOP are doing things they don’t like — they’re “mean.”

Here’s what fascism actually looks like: how oligarchies operated and undermined the Constitution, the rule of law and attempted to undermine the 2016 election, even in the most charitable, narrow readings of what is obvious to anyone who cares about the rule of law — and “democracy.”

In 2016, former British intelligence officer, Christopher Steele — then working for hire — was paid to dig up dirt on Donald Trump. It is widely believed that he was hired by Hillary Clinton or her campaign. The objective was to use any and all even remotely plausible dirt, scandals or innuendo to damage Trump. His report — “The Steele Dossier” — largely focused on a vague “relationship” between the Trump family and Russia or Putin.

Its accuracy and validity were challenged by some in 2016 — elected officials and intelligence officers — but, nonetheless, it was the cornerstone of the so-called “Russian collusion.” It’s now clear that the document was “exaggerated” to be charitable, if not fraudulent and malicious from beginning to end.

Worse, it’s now clear that — possibly with the knowledge of President Obama — very senior White House officials wanted this document validated and put into a formal intelligence briefing to be presented to President Obama and shared with the “Intelligence Community.” Thereafter, the Justice Department and intelligence agencies were given the green light to investigate then-candidate Trump, his family and his senior campaign staff and advisors.

This leads inevitably to “Russian collusion” allegations permeating the final days of the campaign; the post-election transition and culminating in senior staff being investigated, — some being charged with “obstructing” this fake, contrived, illegal investigation; discussions about not allowing Trump to take office (“to save democracy”) and talk of impeachment — before he took office.

Throughout the fall of 2016, the winter of 2016-17 and the start of the Trump Presidency, the Washington Post, New York Times, and national media repeated the allegations from the “Steele Dossier,” and the investigations into Trump, his family, his campaign staff and his policy advisors. Their “news stories” read like press releases from team-Obama, team-Clinton and the Democrat Party.

Any Republicans, retired intelligence officers or media members who tried to challenge the validity of the “Steele Dossier,” the constitutionality or merits of the various criminal, congressional or media investigations were ridiculed, ignored, or silenced.

A phony investigative document created solely for the purpose of undermining and harming Trump is then used as the justification to have criminal and intelligence agency investigations into team-Trump, then used as fodder for media stories to build-up and validate the seriousness of the scandal. 

A hoax was created — and is sadly still believed by a significant number of Americans — for overt partisan, power politics. The White House, the Justice Department, members of Congress, the intelligence agencies, and major media worked together to create a narrative, expand it and echo it to validate each other — attempting to block, delegitimize, and obstruct the first Trump term. 

Anyone who challenged it was mocked, ridiculed, and often silenced. (It’s a formula and alliance similar to that formed during Covid, and to cover up the actual Hunter Biden laptop scandal.)

A frightening, powerful oligarchy of government officials was formed — enabled and unquestioned by many in the legacy media — to undermine the will of the voters. To threaten our constitutional, democratic republic. Reputations were ruined. Reporters and citizens were silenced. People were pushed into bankruptcy, some went to jail.

That’s fascism. Class dismissed.

Guy Ciarrocchi is a Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation. He writes for Broad + Liberty, where this article originally appeared, and RealClear Pennsylvania. Follow Guy @PaSuburbsGuy