So I pulled out a book I hadn't read in years a few days ago, one by Sinclair Lewis called
It Can't Happen Here. I have no idea whether everyone has read this or not, so I'll poll ya'll below. Basically it explores in fictional form how the U.S. could become a fascist state. It was written in 1935. As the book opens, we find ourselves in a small town in Vermont (of all things!), where the Rotarians are, mostly willingly, being subjected to an unholy alliance of guest speakers General Edgeways (no resemblance to Clark) and DAR right-wing Christian Adelaide Gimmitch. In the audience: skeptics include newspaper editor Doremus Jessup and tavern owner Lorinda Pike; the rest are eating the guest speakers up. Some great quotes. Y'all draw your own parallels, hear?:
Edgeways: "...for the U-nited States, a-lone among the great powers, have no desire for foreign conquest. Our highest ambition is to be darned well let alone! Our only genuine relationship to Europe is in our arduous task of having to try and educate the crass and ignorant masses that Europe has wished onto us up to something like a semblance of American culture and good manners.
"For the first time in all history, a great nation must go on arming itself more and more, not for conquest --- not for jealousy --- not for war --- but for peace!."
later...
Narrative: The DAR (reflected Doremus) has beome as sacrosanct, as beyond criticism, as even the Catholic Church or the Salvation Army. And there is this to be said: it has provided hearty and innocent laughter for the judicious, since it has contrived to be just as ridiculous as the unhappily defunct Ku Klux Klan, without any need of wearing, like the K.K.K., high dunces' caps and public nightshirts.
Gimmitch: "As that great author and scientist, Mr. Arthur Brisbane, has pointed out, what every woman ought to do is to have six children."
Gimmitch, cont'd: "What this country needs is Discipline! Peace is a great dream, but maybe somtimes it's only pipe dream! ...now this will shock you, but I want you to listen to one woman who will tell you...that [perhaps] we need to be in a real war again, in order to learn Discipline!
Summary: Linda Pike gets up and starts screaming at the speaker, is shouted down by a supporter, and then they ask Doremus ("eccentric" though he is) his thoughts.
Doremus: "Well, all the birdies in their nest agree. My friend, Mrs. Pike, ought to know that freedom of speech becomes mere license when it goes so far as to criticize the Army, differ with the D.A.R., and advocate the rights of the Mob. So, Lorinda, I think you ought to apologize to the General, to whom we should be grateful for explaining to us what the ruling classes of the country really want."
Paul Krugman focuses more on national finance but makes very similar observations. Also, the right wing disguises its rhetoric much better today.