Are they all good little Fascists ?

[Wiregrass Willie]

"I took an oath to the president, and I take that oath very seriously."

--- Former White House Political Director Sara Taylor.

There is something here that should scare everybody, even the conservatives.

I haven't read a lot about the Hitler era, but I do recall that one of the reasons Hitler was able to gain so much power is because he managed to get the German Officer Corp to swear their allegiance to him personally rather than to the Fatherland. It would seem that Bush's flunkies are being sold that same bill of goods.

[tom_paine]

1. The leadership and staff...you betcha. And you pegged this one dead on

n/t

Heil, Chimpenfuhrer!

[zeemike]

2. You are Right on all points

But I think that everyone in the military had to take that oath, not just the officers.
And it should be alarming for all of us...if bush could get the military to take that same oath (if they have not already) then we are officially a fascist state.

[Demeter]

7. The Troops Didn't Take Any Such Oath

and they are bitter about the way their lives are squandered--that's why Bush won't let them come home. He fears righteous retribution with no one to stand between him and his victims. Unless he brought Blackwater back first!

[fasttense]

3. I wonder how that bush loyalty oath reads?

The oath most everyone in a federal public office takes is to the Constitution. I wonder if the bushes have a separate oath? This is the oath currently required of appointed federal employees:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.<2>
"So help me God." is customarily added to the end of the oath, but cannot be required as part of the oath of office in the United States."

This oath is also taken by the Vice President, members of the Cabinet, and all other civil and military officers and federal employees other than the President.

There is nothing there about obeying the orders of the president. It is an oath to the Constitution and to well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office. Nothing about the president. I think the girl is crazy.

[zeemike]

9. The Wehrmacht Oath of Loyalty to Adolf Hitler, 2 August 1934

"I swear by God this sacred oath that I shall render unconditional obedience to Adolf Hitler, the Führer of the German Reich, supreme commander of the armed forces, and that I shall at all times be prepared, as a brave soldier, to give my life for this oath."

Every soldier had to take this oath:
So just by changing a few words we could have one for bush:

"I swear by God this sacred oath that I shall render unconditional obedience to George Bush President of the United States supreme commander of the armed forces, and that I shall at all times be prepared, as a brave soldier, to give my life for this oath."

[baldguy]

4. I think she's saying that because she's lazy and/or stupid, just like he boss.

The proper Congressional answer to such a statement is: "I don't give a rats' ass WHAT you promised to the President! He took an oath BEFORE GOD to protect & defend the Constitution - just like I did. He may not take his oath seriously - but I do, by God."

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

5. Remember the Milgrom experiment?

This was an experiment where test volunteers were instructed to give electric shocks to "other test subjects" unseen but heard on the other side of a wall. While the test volunteers thought that the test was about the questions they were asking the unseen test subjects (and negative reinforcement when they got answers wrong), in fact the experiment was to show how blindly people will continue to inflict pain on another WHEN A PERSON OF AUTHORITY ("doctors" in white coats) tell them to.

The upshot of the experiment was that test volunteers could be counted on to keep shocking unseen subjects, even when it appeared that the subjects were in great pain or even completely incapacitated or dead. Responsibility was not theirs to own or own up to.

It shows that without the strength to question authority and to resist prevalent norms, perpetrating morally questionable actions is within everyone's ability.

[Wiregrass Willie]

6. That was scary

Some years back I saw clips from that experiment on TV. It was unbelievable to watch. I wish they would show it again as a public service to the voters of America.

[CanonRay]

8. Excellent observation; I hadn't picked up on that.

But you are 100% right and boy, is it scary.