It Can't Happen Here

A Democrat politician builds up a base of support of a political operative and a radio pastor and his conservative organization. After assuming the presidency he uses the pastors now-militarized organization to help him assume fascist dictatorial powers. He institutes policies that appear on the surface to be beneficial to the common man. However, the prime beneficiaries tend to be the big businesses. The pastor is quickly incarcerated "for his safety" and a strict police state eventually results, with communication and transportation heavily restricted. An underground resistance movement gradually pops up.

The president has a big heart and thinks he is doing the best for the country. However, he is eventually deposed by his operative, who is later assassinated by someone else. After a string of assassinations, the country starts to return to some sense of normalcy.

The author is obviously trying to make a political statement against the gradual reduction of rights either by their outright restriction or by the granting of new rights. Even the best of intentions can lead towards the path of the downfall. Fascism can easily arise from seemingly left-leaning liberal policies. Unfortunately, the book does go a little too far over the top in the "fall" of the society, making the characters a little less believable than they could be.