Hints your country might be turning into a fascist state

From our overstocked archives: 2007

MORE ON FASCISM 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