While Republicans pull their punches and embarrass themselves,

Democrat Martin O’Malley says what should be said.
JOHN NICHOLS

http://www.thenation.com/

 Instead of Calling Him a ‘Jerk,’ Bush Should Say ‘Donald Trump Is Making Overtly Fascist Appeals’

 O’Malley gets scant media coverage in comparison with Bush. O’Malley is stuck with a Democratic debate schedule that has made a priority of obscurity rather than ratings. And O’Malley’s campaign treasury looks like “petty cash” compared with Bush. Yet, a PPP poll from last week gave O’Malley 9 percent support, while Bush was at 7. Indeed, according to the Real Clear Politics survey of all recent polls, the former Democratic governor of Maryland has moved up to a point where he is now essentially even with the former Republican governor of Florida—O’Malley 4.3 percent, Bush 4.4 percent.

O’Malley still has a long way to go in the Democratic race. But he certainly seems to be getting more things right than Bush. (Admittedly, that is not a tall order.)

On NECN's Broadside program,  which airs in New Hampshire and other New England states—O’Malley was asked this week about Donald Trump.

“My definition of a fascist is a man who wants to set aside constitutional and individual rights including the right to worship freely in our nation and wants to scapegoat a whole group of people and issue ID cards to people based on their faith,” O’Malley responded. “I think all of those are the sort of overt appeals that history has shown us precedes fascism. And that makes them part of the fascist appeals. So yes, I do believe that Donald Trump is making overtly fascist appeals. The first time the leader in the Republican Party contest doesn’t believe in the constitution. And we all need to call him out on that, frankly.”

If Bush or one of the other Republican contenders were to begin speaking as strongly as O’Malley just did, that would generate headlines. And it might just get a real debate going in the Republican party. Until Bush and the rest of the establishment Republicans speak up, Trump will go from strength to strength—perhaps bringing Cruz along with him, perhaps not—and American politics will degenerate further into the swamp of Trumpism.

http://www.thenation.com/article/instead-of-calling-him-a-jerk-bush-should-say-donald-trump-is-making-overtly-fascist-appeals/