Episode 254: It Can't Happen Here

November 24, 2024

Central Thesis

Ad-supported media obscures the historical and contemporary threats of fascism by prioritizing the interests of the wealthy and powerful, preventing the public from recognizing and addressing these threats.

Key Arguments

• Fascism's Reactive Nature: Fascism is not a distinct ideology but a reactionary movement against leftist "fuck the rich" ideologies like socialism and communism. Its core tenet is to violently suppress these movements to protect the status quo for the wealthy elite.
• Moneyed Interests Fuel Fascism: Wealthy individuals and corporations historically provided financial support for fascist movements, like Mussolini's Blackshirts, to protect their interests against perceived threats from leftist ideologies and labor unions.
• Media's Role in Obscuring Fascism: Ad-supported and privately-owned media outlets are incentivized to downplay or outright ignore evidence of fascist tendencies within a country, as they serve the interests of the same wealthy individuals who benefit from such movements. The example of media suppressing the Smedley Butler coup plot is used.
• American Fascism is Possible: Despite the common sentiment that "it can't happen here," the episode warns that the US is susceptible to fascism because the conditions that enabled its rise in Italy and Germany (wealth inequality, powerful oligarchs, and a complacent media) exist within the US today. The recent election has further stoked the fire.
• Confiscatory Taxation's Real Purpose: Taxes, especially high ones, are portrayed not as a means to fund public services, but as a way to reduce the power that wealth poses as a societal ill.

Notable Passages

• "Fascism is more a tendency to hear a bit of political drivel coming out of someone's mouth, loudly shout, no, you're wrong, and punch the speaker in the face."
• "In both Italy and Germany the little men... were funded by big men to get votes from little people. And once in power those little men just never left."
• "The destruction of evidence and testimony only served to fan the flames of suspicion for decades to come."
• "Taxes are high not primarily to fund the services provided by the government, but more to reduce private wealth and the threat that wealth poses. Every fucking dime, every fucking time."

Rhetorical Approach

Jim uses a combination of historical analysis (Sinclair Lewis and Upton Sinclair's works, Smedley Butler's testimony) and contemporary political commentary to build his case. He frequently uses sarcasm, vulgarity, and a conversational tone to engage the listener while emphasizing the urgency of the issues discussed. His use of anecdotal evidence helps to personalize the argument, and he cites numerous sources to provide documentary support for his claims.

Connections

References Upton Sinclair's Lanny Budd series and Sinclair Lewis's It Can't Happen Here. Discusses Smedley Butler, and alludes to Godwin's Law. References the host's earlier episodes 205 ("All That You Can Be"), 251 ("Let There Be Some Light"). Cites Jeffrey A. Winters' ideas regarding oligarchy.