Amos's reaction there demonstrates what I meant when I said that using the word "fascist" gets in the way rather than helping. It turns a discussion into an attack and defence, rather than an exploration.

That list of common features was a thought-provoking one. However it struck me as rather akin to carrying out a similar analysis for say, a dog and a rat. You could come up with a whole set of characteristics which they have in common - but that would not in fact mean that dogs and rats are the same animal.

However what they would indicate was that dogs and rats were both mammals.

Arguing about a word is a waste of time. Looking at the similarities and the differences between different regimes which rely on populist nationalism, and which adopt authoritarian techniques - that could be useful. And in the case of the USA, for example, what are the things about the society that can stop things going over the edge? And what things are there which might increase the risk of something like that happening?