Not fascist liberals.
Fascist conservatives. At least according to Word of God.
Not, mind you, that it really makes much of a difference in the long run. >.>
There is just as good a case...IMO somewhat better...for the Enclave to be "liberals" as for them being Bush/Cheney reincarnated as I've seen bandied around here more than once. Look at the sort of things Woodrow Wilson and FDR did in the wars they presided over.....things the pre-war US gov't was doing that the LW gets glimpses of during his/her travels like the "Relocation Camps" for Chinese.
I am sure that the Brotherhood has the ability to manufacture weapons. Also after a few hundred years after the war, I am sure that there are many people who have worked to create more guns for such a hostile environment.
I have a question, I see a ton of things held together with tape in FO3, but there are no rolls of tape lying around. What's the deal?
The Pitt is probably the only place on the East Coast capable of mass production of firearms, as only they have the ability to make the machine tools necessary to set up the production line, but there are several places where parts, or small scale production of finished weapons would be feasible. If the BoS has that capability they would be very choosy who they provided weapons to if they were even willing to supply people outside the order. As far as the tape, I think they did that for effect.....they seem to want it to look like everyone is merely living off scavenged pre-war stuff rather than manufacturing anything new.