The Bush Presidency as Totalitarianism

I would like to suggest that the Bush presidency had more than a few elements of totalitarianism. Some may wonder how this could even be possible in a democracy. 

I believe that three factors were enough to create a governing regime that could legitimately be considered totalitarian. These factors are:

• The consolidation of the media. Although we may seem to have many news sources, when you consider how few individuals and companies have controlling interests in those sources, we might many fewer choices than it initially appears. 
• The "echo chamber" effect. With the deluge of news and possible news stories to cover, news outlets have taken to watching their competitors at least as much as they are watching news unfold in the "real" world. As a result the coverage of our news outlets converges on a limited subset of stories. 
• Lazy and cheap journalism. When we consider how few dollars are left for in-depth investigative reporting, combined with the ease in simply parroting the announcements of major authorities (like the president), we have a media that acts more like the mouthpiece of the authorities than independent watchdogs and investigators.
• Fearmongering as a tool of control. The Bush presidency made extensive use of fear as a tool of control. By creating and exaggerating threats, they were able to amass powers, act in secrecy and pursue an unified agenda that would not have been possible if citizens were not perpetually afraid for themselves, their family, their values and everything else they held dear. I don't think the effects of fear in a populace can be overstated. I know it affected me personally in ways I am only beginning to recognize after the fact.
• American exceptionalism. The Bush administration considered the US to be special and better than other nations and was therefore free to do whatever it wanted. We know that Bush felt that he had a special relationship with God and was authorized by Him to do what he felt was right (all evidence to the contrary). There is nothing more blinding than the belief that what one is doing is intrinsically good, or that you (and your people) have the Truth. There is also nothing more prone to hurt others.
• Neglect and discouragement of citizen input. Consider the millions of regular Americans who came out to oppose starting a preemptive war in Iraq. The will of the people was quite clear. But the Bush administration chose not only to ignore this statement of popular will that was unprecedented in the period since the 60's, it then used all the tools at its disposal to discourage and distance expressions of dissent from the media and other Americans. They interrupted the social influence of Americans on Americans and replaced it with the influence of the state.

If we add these factors together we find a federal administration bent on controlling the populace to achieve its aims, and enabled by a centralized media that was a mouthpiece for their views, frames and agenda.

A definition of totalitarian is as follows: "Of, relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed: 'A totalitarian regime crushes all autonomous institutions in its drive to seize the human soul" Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.'"

Absolute control may be overstating the actual situation, but I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that the Bush presidency sought - if not achieved - totalitarian control.

It will take many years for the citizens of our country to recover their autonomy and bring our democracy back to its full vitality.