Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

70sEraVet

(4,542 posts)
Fri May 9, 2025, 09:19 AM May 9

I normally refrain from making comparisons to Hitler, but.....

I happened upon this article on alternet.org, covering an essay by
"...historian Timothy W. Ryback, who is the director of the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation in The Hague", and I can't help it if the shoe fits!

After his election in 1933, Hitler bragged that the German electorate welcomed him with "jubilation," and rolled out a plan to force out longtime career civil servants with political stooges committed to his vision.
(snip)
Hitler was convinced that he needed the empowering law to follow through on his campaign promises, which, according to Ryback, included calls to "revive the economy, reduce unemployment, increase military spending, withdraw from international treaty obligations, purge the country of foreigners he claimed were 'poisoning' the blood of the nation and exact revenge on political opponents." He also notably ran on draining den parlamentarischen Sumpf, or "the parliamentarian swamp," and his economic agenda including sweeping new tariffs on grain imports.

https://www.alternet.org/hitler-democracy/
16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

mopinko

(72,599 posts)
3. there is an authoritarian playbook. they're all the same, and imho
Fri May 9, 2025, 10:06 AM
May 9

what it is is the ‘lizard brain’ taking over. the higher functions either never rly developed, or they have deteriorated. drug use, dementia, other things can cause this.
but in many ppl, they never develop. the science of brain development has been something i’ve watched since my kids were small. i remember vividly, in about 1978, the chgo tribune did a deep dive into this topic. iirc, they ran several articles for a week, then the sunday edition had a huge double page spread.
the tl/dr version is- mothers who r stressed during pregnancy, for whatever reason, shaped their children’s brains, and bodies, to fight. mothers who were well fed, well cared for, loved, supported, shaped their baby’s brains toward the ‘higher functions’, art, music, language, etc.

sometimes that stress is just poverty. even if they have food, they still live w more adrenaline than average. but it cd b lots of things- they have a lot of kids to take care of already. they care for an ailing family member. they’re sick themselves. etc, etc, etc.
this continues after birth, but it is prenatal development that has the most impact.

bottom line- it became my yardstick for any ruler anywhere that women and children r the top priority. if every mother i america was well cared for, this wd b a different country in a generation.
cuz nobody wd fall for this authoritarian bullshit.

Coolgoober

(102 posts)
4. I Don't Know What to Say
Fri May 9, 2025, 10:19 AM
May 9

Sounds exactly like what Trump is doing. I see it clear as day. Why can so many not see it?

chowmama

(798 posts)
5. I think many of them can see it
Fri May 9, 2025, 10:25 AM
May 9

and they approve. How many Repubs think we supported the wrong side in WWII? How many high up in this administration?

Lonestarblue

(12,632 posts)
11. Many of Trump's most loyal voters truly are poorly educated and have no real clue of what fascism is.
Fri May 9, 2025, 12:09 PM
May 9

Comparisons to Hitler and Nazism make no sense to them because they may know who Hitler was and that he murdered millions of Jews and started WWII, but that’s the extent of their knowledge. They may know that Great Uncle Harry or Grandfather Earl fought in the world, but most likely could describe only a simplistic purpose of defeating Germany. They cannot make connections to movements like fascism because their knowledge of actual history (versus Republican MAGA history) is quite weak.

Martin68

(25,851 posts)
8. Fits Trump to a T.
Fri May 9, 2025, 11:37 AM
May 9

Where did Trump pick up Hitler's game plan? I doubt he read Mein Kampf or any serious history of WWII.

70sEraVet

(4,542 posts)
10. As I told my grandson,
Fri May 9, 2025, 11:53 AM
May 9

I doubt that trump studied Hitler (or anything else!), but someone in his administration sure has! My bet is on Stephen Miller, who is, embarrassingly, a Jew.

Lonestarblue

(12,632 posts)
12. Trump's first wife has been reported as saying that he kept a book of Hitler's speeches by his bedside.
Fri May 9, 2025, 12:12 PM
May 9

She said that was the only book he read. I can believe it because he uses a lot of Hitler’s language, and he is incredibly ignorant about world history and global politics, the topics that many former presidents and world leaders read about.

Aristus

(70,052 posts)
13. I keep hearing that Trump used to keep a copy of "Mein Kampf" on his night table.
Fri May 9, 2025, 12:12 PM
May 9

It must have been the Cliff's Notes version. "Mein Kampf" is virtually unreadable even for people who mastered reading comprehension.

NNadir

(35,900 posts)
14. If there ever wad a time to embrace Godwin's law...
Fri May 9, 2025, 12:20 PM
May 9

...this would be it.

Hitler was elected. We're in the "It can happen here" phase.

ananda

(31,885 posts)
15. It really is creepy, and totally demented and deranged as well.
Fri May 9, 2025, 12:21 PM
May 9

We have Hitler, the Joker, and Clowns all rolled into one.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»I normally refrain from m...