Clues your country may be becoming a fascist state

From 50 year of our overstocked archives

Sam Smith, 2006
 
NOTE: Some of these symptoms are found in non-fascist countries where they should be treated as serious warning signs. On the other hand, fascist states - unlike democratic nations - have many, if not all, of these symptoms.

Your president asserts the right to ignore part or all of laws passed by the national legislature.

Massive warrantless searches

Your president and other officials regularly lie to you

Fraudulent election counts

Government monitoring of letters, emails, phone calls and checking accounts

Secret courts

A government subservient to the interests of the country's largest corporations.

Use of torture on prisoners

Courts that support presidential use of unconstitutional powers

Massive spying on citizens, especially those involved in political dissent

A government that uses words like democracy, freedom and peace while engaging in acts dramatically at odds with such words

Government agencies or officials declaring themselves exempt from portions of the law or constitution

Creation of watchlists, no-fly lists and similar exclusionary documents

National ID cards

Growing number of citizens incarcerated for a growing number of offenses

Massive use of cameras to spy on citizens

A media supportive of, or obsequious towards, the government in covering its police state activities

Security bubble around government leaders' public appearances including preselected audiences and limit on proximity of protests

Disarming of citizenry

Dissent characterized as disloyal by government and its supporting media

Increasing government control over private behavior

Lack of legal recourse to stop illegal government actions

Prison without trial and arrests without charges

It is difficult to borrow books from libraries pertaining to controversial subjects such as, communism,socialism,and, fascism.

Transfer of powers from legislatures to executive

Assassinations of popular public figures

Expansion of prisons and laws that lead people to prisons

President claims right to make war whenever he wants

Words misused to mean their opposite: i.e. peace for war, democracy for fascism

The president sets himself up as the sole moral authority for the entire country, using his personal beliefs as the basis on which to declare what is 'good' and what is 'evil.'

Federal takeover of functions formerly considered essential state or local responsibilities such as state militias and public education

Creation of a mercenary military force used for foreign and domestic purposes