It's my understanding that it entered the legal code because during the Middle Ages (probably earlier but the Middle Ages is when codified law started in England) it was required that a priest perform all sacraments, and specifically marriage and baptism. But priests were not available in many areas, or only occasionally. Couples might have had to wait years before they could stand before a priest, and babies tended to happen without the blessing of the church. To avoid the stigma, a couple was allowed to proclaim THEMSELVES married and get on with the housekeeping. That is the key point of common-law marriage, you have to publicly say that you are married. Shacking up for years does not constitute a common law marriage, as many abandoned women have discovered in court.

On the path to fascism...I think we're *on the path* to fascism.

Lots of things going on in this country look awfully familiar with things that have gone on in other countries in the past...things that didn't end up in safer, more free societies.

Fascism: "A philosophy or system of government that is marked by stringent social and economic control, a strong, centralized government usually headed by a dictator, and often a policy of belligerent nationalism."

Sound familiar to anyone?

Yes: Cubans.

Let's see:
Strong, centralized government under one authority (the Executive)? Check.
Belligerent nationalism? Check.
Stringent social and economic controls? Not yet, but we're on the way.

On the assumption that you are not responding to UG, but rather are engaging in commentary about the United States ... (if I'm wrong, please just ignore this post, thank you.)

Last time I checked they hadn't shut down the Judicial and Legislative Branches.

Get back to me after the state of emergency is declared after the Reichstag burns down.

Anti-Nationalism is much more belligerent. When was the last time that a bunch of patriotic guys waving flags threw a newspaper box through a Starbucks window?

While I have problems with paying farmers not to grow cotton or corn, and the Federal Reserve (which is neither Federal nor does it have Reserves of anything) as far as I can tell prices still react to supply and demand for the most part.

Isn't a state of emergency adter the WTC was knocked down the justification for bypassing Congress and the Courts to do warrantless wiretapping?

Our government has a long tradition of appointing people who can be counted on to interpret law in a predictable manner, one which is agreeable to the appointer. Now, I'm not saying that this is the exclusive province of the current administration, but, if done skillfully and thoroughly enough, it could well remove most of the problems a potential despot might incur from the Judiciary. As to Legislative...last time I checked, they were pretty much on board with the current programs, so they aren't going to pose much of a problem to our prospective despot, either. Vote along Party lines, outcomes are rather predictable.

Perhaps the American sheep...err, People...will vote to make all of this a bit more balanced? If the votes count, that is. :)

BTW, the definition of "activist judge" is any judge who fails to rule in accordance to one's own idea of how things ought to be.

-1)Last time I checked, the President made a statement saying that since we're at war, he doesn't have to obey laws that he doesn't want to.
-2)Newspaper box through window < Invading a sovereign nation under false pretenses and fear mongering. I'd argue about whether or not the Starbucks/window thing is anti-nationalism, but I don't want to right now...different thread.
-3)How much of the GDP is the current federal budget? How much will it be in six years, if current spending trends continue? How long did it take to get Plan B into stores as a non-prescription item, despite being characterized as the safest drug reviewed by the FDA? How much have barriers between church and state fallen in the past six years?

Yes. I'm hyperbolizing some. But only some. We are not headed in a good direction. Remember how great it was when all we had to complain about was the Prez getting head in the Oval? That was pretty terrific, by golly.

Was the Catholic Church considered to be fascist during the Dark Ages/Inquisition/Burning Times? I can't recall.

I learned something new on MPR yesterday at lunch. Fascists subordinate business to the state (sort of like Stalinists, but via a different mechanism). This administration has no intentions of doing that. So, instead of facism, we have a new political entity to try and describe. Sweet.
Any takers?

They've taken elements from feudalism, mercantilism, and fascism. I think it is new because we live in a different world. If you update mercantilism to a world where precious metals are not monetized, fiat money has only the value it is perceived to have, and where control of energy resources is paramount, the perceived military effectiveness is of a country becomes the real source of power. We are in the unfortunate position of Mussolini's Italians. It was our idea but we were not effective in its implementation. We'll bleed out while another power rises that is thinking clearly about the goal.

Let's call it Bushism. ;)

Duncism?

Wow.
Mechanized Italian Army is to horse-riding Ethiopians as Mechanized American Army is to IED-using Iraqi insyrgents.
Got it.

How about we call it penis envy?

Whatever you're smoking, I wish you'd share. :joint: