Ok, here’s where I compare Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler. You knew it was coming. You may now roll your eyes.
The central problem is that we’ve been comparing Presidents we don’t like to Hitler since at least Richard Nixon. In retrospect, “Nitler” was more like Wormtongue—he was just unsavory and vindictive. There was a lot of talk of George W. Bush being like Hitler, but he was (I’m sorry) just not bright enough for the comparison. People calling Obama Hitler—that always threw me, but I guess with Obamacare you could say there was something National about it, and though I’d call it far short of Socialism, that’s what some of you were calling it that, so . . . National, Socialist. I guess. Suit yourself.
So comparing Trump to Hitler can pretty much sound like nothing more than sour grapes. Except that it’s clear that in his willingness to Do Whatever It Takes to get done what he wants to get done, Trump is absolutely different from any person who has held the office before, and in his attempts to go around the newspapers and television news outlets he doesn’t like, he’s doing some pretty scary stuff. Yesterday, he barred the New York Times and CNN from his briefing room. He let Breitbart stay, but not the NY Times. No matter what you think of liberal bias, the Times is a major paper of record for the country. If you don’t like what they say . . . well, in America, as opposed to Russia or China, you argue your case, or you spin it your way, or you ignore them. When you decide you’re just going to cut them out, you’re taking a step toward state-approved media.
This isn’t a liberal/conservative issue. Any demagogue from the left could do this, too. One of the people most worried about what Trump is doing is John McCain.
Which is where I refer you to an article about Hitler. There was a newspaper in Munich that during the 20s and 30s that just really got under his skin. He decided to cut them out. Now, granted, he was Hitler. But the lesson is disturbing, and I urge you to take a look. It’s a longish read. I hope that doesn’t mean you’re just going to toss it. Truth is long sometimes.
Rob Ehle 