What We Can Learn From 1920s Germany

[raccoon]

by Brian E. Fogarty

Imagine this situation: Your country has had a military setback in a war that was supposed to be over after a few months of "shock and awe." Because of that war, it has lost the goodwill and prestige of much of the international community.

The national debt has grown to staggering size. Citizens complain bitterly about the government, especially the legislative branch, for being a bunch of do-nothings working solely for themselves or for special interest groups. In fact, the political scene has pretty much lost its center -- moderates are attacked by all sides as the political discourse becomes a clamor of increasingly extreme positions.

It seems there are election campaigns going on all the time, and they are increasingly vicious. The politicians just want to argue about moral issues -- sexuality, decadent art, the crumbling family and the like -- while pragmatic matters of governance seem neglected.

Sound familiar? That society was Germany of the 1920s -- the ill-fated Weimar Republic. But it also describes more and more the political climate in America today.

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0726-28.htm

[enid602]

1. Bush

Then I guess Bush must be a 'pre-Hitler,' rather than the real thing. I wonder who the republicans have in mind to be the fuhrer.

[megatherium]

6. Bush uses the gay marriage wedge issue with reluctance,

when his political handlers warn him he is losing his base. (I think it's likely Bush's evangelical Christianity is a complete put-on.) But some of his base are much more fervent about that issue and others. If an American Hitler were to appear, I think it would he would be an evangelical Christian, or at least be very good at manipulating evangelical Christians.

When 9/11 happened, and certain other disasters, some evangelical leaders have openly voiced the idea that these disasters happened because God has lowered his defenses of America because of America's immorality. So I can imagine if a disaster (economic, military or natural) of sufficient magnitude were to occur, scapegoats would be targeted by a new set of fascists.

[MardiGras Bandit]

9. Schwarzenegger

Haven't you seen martial law?

http://www.infowars.com/martial_law_911.htm

[TrogL]

2. It's going to be difficult to draw back from the brink

...if the fundies control the press and airwaves.

They're pushing for Armageddon, now.

[whyzayker]

3. Y'know.....

http://www.americaheldhostile.com/ed060602-2.shtml
http://www.americaheldhostile.com/ed061402.shtml
http://www.americaheldhostile.com/ed070402.shtml

Sara DeHart and I were asking this 4 years ago.

[raccoon]

5. Thanks for those links. I'll mark them to read . nt

[yurbud]

4. I think the Spanish Civil War is a better analogy

the 'extremists' on the left aren't driving the anti-Bush debate, but rather it's the agreement of a broad range of people from the center to far left.

Also, the very term 'centrist' has been corrupted by confusing those with positions on the borderline between republicans and democrats with those who are bought and paid for among the democrats who balance their allegiance to big business with token 'liberal' social positions.

[bemildred]

7. That is an excellent analogy, arguably better.

I have seen the comparison made once before, can't remember where now.

[yurbud]

8. counterpunch is running a series on Spanish Civil War. Very good and

extremely depressing--because it sounds so familiar.

A lot like the movie Z by Costas Gravas. The people were in the twilight between democracy and fascism, and it looked like democracy would win (until you read the crawl before the credits).