Stephan:   One of the hallmarks of Fascism is its complete commitment to what the Trump Administration calls "alternative facts," or gaslighting as social media calls it. Yesterday we witnessed what I think was one of the most extraordinary performances I have seen from a White House podium since Ron Ziegler and the Nixon Administration. What do I mean: Blatant lying so stupid that five minutes of checking could prove it was a lie. And thus we come to this story. I have deliberately chosen a non-U.S. publication to make the additional point that this absurd kind of lying has profound international consequences. One thing is clear: Truth will not be the hallmark of the new administration and all statements made officially from its podiums will have to be tested for accuracy before being accepted. The good news here is that constant and grotesque lying on the part of Trump and his minions combined with their endless attacks on media, will force corporate media to up its game, and to make sure that what it is saying is accurate.