Fascism in the USA

I just read Norman Solomon's online article "The News Media's Political 'F' Word" [MediaBeat, 6/30/04], and I strongly disagree with his statement that "fascism hasn't arrived in the America" merely because people are still able to exercise some measure of freedoms of speech and press. As Mussolini said, fascism, in a nutshell, is corporatism backed up by the force of the state's military and police. The rest is just window dressing. By this definition, America has been fascist for over 100 years, because it's been the most business-run society on the planet since after the Civil War. Any country that puts the interests of corporations or other big business ahead of all other interests and enforces those interests with the power of the police and military is fascist, regardless of what other freedoms it allows.

Jeff Hoffman

San Francisco

Dogs and ponies

In June and July many San Franciscans go to the city budget hearings, also know as the Dog and Pony Show.

When the Department of Public Health bothers to admit that there will be cuts in services, we all line up like salesmen trying to sell health care to the Board of Supervisors. The hearing is an opportunity for the public to "save" (beg for) health care that's been cut from the mayor's budget.

The hearings are intense, dehumanizing, sad, annual affairs that pit one valuable health service against another. Clients and employees who testify are often fearful, angry, and even tearful.

Currently, primary care in the public health centers is just one of many drastic cuts. Physicians, nurses, health care workers, social workers, and clerical support staff have already received layoff notices or will receive notices of reassignment.

I know two nurses who have left DPH before receiving their paperwork. They have gone to work in the "tidy" world of private health care and have no plans to return to public health.

If you think public health does not affect those with private insurance, you are wrong. Untreated communicable disease just moves from dog to pony without rhyme or reason.

Any child can share head lice with a classmate. Untreated head lice can run around a classroom indefinitely.

Anyone can get TB. The untreated client with TB can and will inadvertently share a loose cough with anyone and everyone.

STDs, AIDS, SARS, hepatitis, and biological agents don't care if you have private insurance.

We have miles to go before we address violence as a public health crisis in our city. Yet bullets don't care who they hit.

If you are cynical enough to believe violence is just a criminal problem, then remember most inmates get out. Perhaps we should continue to initiate health care while inmates are still in jail. Contracting out jail services is the current threat.

It would be wise not to eliminate the opportunity for the public to receive needed medical, mental health, and substance abuse treatment, for everyone's sake.

After all, we are all public dogs and ponies, living in an untidy world, who require health care.

Rebecca King Morrow, PHN

San Francisco

Nader the pigeon

Ralph Nader is sounding more like a sore loser ever since the Green Party saw through his "spoiler" candidacy – he's now calling the Greens "strange," a "cabal," and "losers" – even though he was their presidential candidate in 1996 and 2000. Greens know better; all Americans would lose by supporting Nader, the self-appointed savior of American democracy.

Now, to add to Nader's "weirdoness," conservative groups across America are flocking together to support his moribund candidacy. The Oregon Family Council, whose Web site proudly promotes membership in the Defense of Marriage Coalition, has just announced that they enthusiastically support Nader because it would take votes away from Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. In other words, in the real world of electoral politics, Nader's only value is as a pigeon, a dupe.

Back in the day, it used to be said that doves were Democrats and hawks were Republicans. Political bird-watchers beware: there is a new bird on the block – the pigeon – of the species Ralphie Naderus. But in terms of value, this pigeon has many weak traits as a leader: good pigeons win races, not merely enter races; good pigeons operate according to defined principles, not simple expediency; good pigeons start young and develop a record of accomplishment; good pigeons are not inbred but join with others for some greater good; and good pigeons have valuable talents, such as homing, whereas the Naderus is a carrier bringing only lies, conceit, and obfuscation.

The Greens have exposed Nader's campaign as quackery pure and simple. Nader's third, and hopefully last, presidential run will be remembered as an electoral curiosity, nothing more, and shoved away in a pigeonhole to be forgotten forever. What America needs now is a candidate that both hawks and doves can support: is Donald Duck available?

Paul Page

San Francisco