I have been struck at the number of similarities the Rabid Frothing Clown Party has with the Soviet, Chinese and other Communist governments we have seen.
Firstly, there is the spiraling demand for being better and better cons. There are the ideological officers testing the bona fides of all Party members to adhere ever more closely to ever more extreme dogma. One must be Christian enough, not just a believer in Christ, but born again, defender of all unborn, condemner of all not born-again Christians. One must not just favor limited government, one must be willing to bring down the government. The answer to failed Communism was always more Communism. The answer to the failures of conservatism is always ever more pure conservatism.
Second, theirs is ideology in service not of the nation or its people, but in service of capturing and holding power. The ideology has always been a means and not an end, a rallying cry for forces who care only about power. Conservatives have driven government policy to the right for 40-some years, but that drive hasn't benefited the nation, and when given the chance, didn't make government smaller, just less competent. What it has served is to establish and reinforce the insider power structure in which there is no accountability and which feeds off directed government largesse. It is truly power for its own sake and power for the sake of further privileging the privileged. Communism always served this same purpose, preserving the power structure rather than serving the people.
More below the orange snail.
Thirdly, the concentration of power serves a very small group that serve each other. The power of the Communist Politburos and their circle was very narrowly distributed and very jealously guarded. The powerful conservatives in this country serve each other and are not interested in any way in expanding their number. They seek to destroy anyone who would try to expand access to power.
Fourth, a segment of the population is riled up to be used against the rest of society. Xenophobic, dogmatic, rabid and violent, the Tea Party is an old, gray Red Guard, Mao's anarchistic private army, or Pol Pot's children, or the legions of Soviet, East German and other Communist citizens informing on and denouncing each other. Anarchy serves those who would assert power most voraciously.
Fifth is the ability to inflict damage within the society in the interest of creating fear that begs for authoritarian power. Nixon rode in as the new sheriff when America was in turmoil, which turmoil was fostered by reactionary violence and perfidy by the powerful. Riots incited by police shootings, visible armed assault against already oppressed people made problems worse, and served the interests of the conservative power base.
Sixth is using incitement of fear of The Other, the Communists' use of the Imperialist, the Americans as abusers of national rights and sovereignty that lined up citizens against non-Communist nations, principally the United States.
These are the time-tested tactics for power-seekers who cannot appeal to or generate a majority though policies that benefit the public and the nation. Constant conflict, war, confrontation, agitation, oppression all serve authoritarian power-seekers.
These are the tactics of the Rabid Frothing Clown Party and they serve the same strategy of achieving power for its own sake. They are the new Communists.
My apologies for the low quality image -- I am not a Printshop pro, by any means.