When all that matters is winning....

What did the Fascist regimes in Italy, Germany, and Spain have in common? They consisted of a highly militarized state, backed by corporation and a wealthy elite, that rose to power through a false populism that exploited the public’s fear of foreigners and “moral degenerates.” This precisely defines the formula that Karl Rove designed to consolidate the Bush administration’s power in the recent election.

• Sean Donahue