Actually, I think a panel with the title “Is it time to call it fascism?” could be informative. The panel could look at the kind of economy that tends to be advocated by the modern day left. For the most part liberals have abandoned the advocacy of outright socialism–that is the nationalization of industry and state ownership of the means of production. On the other hand the classic economics definition of fascism is a system where, theoretically industry and the means of production are in private hands but most of the important decision making is done by government. For example, this seems to be the model that the left is pursing in the area of energy production and unfortunately it is the model that seems to have guided much of the Administration’s energy bill. Clearly it is a model that guides land use–to a greater or lesser extent –at the local level with smart growth as the paradigm example. Portland is the most extreme case. I think it would be interesting for a panel with this title to examine these and other resource allocation arrangements, i.e., North Carolina’s Certificate of Need laws for hospitals and other health care facilities, in light of the model of economic fascism. Panelists could consider such questions as, when do we cross the line from capitalism to fascism? Have we already done so in some areas and industries? Are we on the way to making that cross over in still others?
by Locker Room contributor