Lincoln and FDR were fascists.

Let's begin with a definition of fascism. Here is what I'm basing my arguments on: "Fascism is an authoritarian political ideology that considers individual subordinate to the interests of the state, party or society as a whole. Fascists seek to forge a type of national unity." "Fascists opposed what they believe to be laissez-faire or quasi-laissez-faire economic policies dominant in the era prior to the Great Depression. People of many different political stripes blamed laissez-faire capitalism for the Great Depression, and fascists promoted their ideology as a "third way" between capitalism and Marxian socialism. Their policies manifested as a radical extension of government control over the economy without wholesale expropriation of the means of production. Fascist governments nationalized some key industries, managed their currencies and made some massive state investments. They also introduced price controls, wage controls and other types of economic planning measures." Breaking it down 1. A political ideology that considers the individual subordinate to the interests of the state: Lincoln, the Whigs, and later the Republicans, clearly believed this. They wanted high protectionist tariffs to subsidize internal improvements for the alleged "common good." Of course, the real purpose was to aggrandize themselves as the ruling party, but so sick is the fascist mind that it thinks this is for the "common good." The interests of the central state were exalted above the individual states and their citizens under Lincoln. FDR's New Deal was clearly the same idea. Individual liberties mattered nothing -- what mattered was the supposed "common good" and the preservation of the centralized state. 2. Authoritarianism: Lincoln imprisoned political opponents without charges. He ordered newspaper printing presses destroyed and editors jailed. It was a crime to criticize Lincoln. FDR, for his part, was also authoritarian. When the Supreme Court ruled elements of the New Deal unconstitutional, he threatened to "pack the court" with new members who were favorable to his fascist ideology. How is this not authoritarian? How is ordering the internment of Japanese American citizens not authoritarian or fascist? It clearly is. 3. National unity: Clearly, this was Lincoln's goal -- "preserving the Union." In reality, he destroyed the original intent of the Union, which was voluntary confederation. FDR was also a grand centralizer and enemy of states' rights. 4. Lincoln and FDR were both adamantly opposed to laissez-faire capitalism. Lincoln wanted high taxes, protectionism, a central bank controlled by the government issuing fiat money, and corporate welfare for "internal improvements." You can't get any more anticapitalist than that. FDR was almost as bad -- he created tons of new bureaucracies, regulations, and planning boards that regimented and regulated every aspect of private business. He also instituted price and wage controls, as is characteristic of fascism. 5. Managed currency: Lincoln shared the Hamiltonian/Whig dream of a national bank issuing fiat money. He unconstitutionally printed greenbacks and forced people to accept them under unconstitutional legal-tender laws. FDR suspended gold convertibility and confiscated the gold of private citizens. How much more fascist can you get? "Fascist" is not an empty slur. It means something. Not only were Lincoln and FDR fascists, but virtually every member of Congress from both parties today is, too. They (almost) all support the things that are outlined above, to one degree or another.