Can you discount Mussolini in an argument about fascism?

I think the honest answer is that Mussolini is key to understanding fascists. Fascists do not want to "own the means of production." Fascists want to influence the means of production (corporations) for the supposed benefit of the nation-state using nationalism or even a theory of racial superiority as justification for state involvement. This is generally accomplished by placing political officers inside the physical facilities of the corporation to both watch and communicate the desires of the state to the executives. I do not think either liberals or conservatives in the US are clical fascists, However, you should be nervous when you hear talk about "cooperation between the government and the private sector." Such cooperation can never be on an equal footing because the government has the police power of the state, regulatory agencies and control of a lot of goodies. The government can subtly force corporations to give campaign donations, which will help keep that government in power. The government can also subtly force corporations to do business with political allies of the government or the government can use police power to create customers for corporations in exchange for the support of the corporation. Intermingling government and corporations in any way other than honest regulation is very dangerous and can lead to fascism.