More Hitler - Trump Analogy

I wrote a post on October 7, 2024 noting an analogy between the state of Germany and Germans in the 1920s that facilitated Hitler's rise to power as well as Hitler's propaganda tactics and that of the United States and Trump.

There is another unfortunate analogy that must be pointed out.  Hitler became all-powerful with the craven support of corporate titans and the conservative political establishment. Neither of these groups could stand Hitler, but they knew he was the new game in town and they played to his ego, thinking that sooner or later, he would fail and they would seize power.  Of course. that eventuality didn't happen until Germany was reduced to rubble and conquered.

In the case of Trump, we are seeing much similar behavior, but thankfully there are some who are not craven.  First the similarities.  Both politicians and billionaire corporate titans who spoke very poorly of Trump at one point, changed their tune when they realized that he had captured the soul of the Republican base and was a man who would brook no disagreement.

In general, when primary battles are all over, everyone supports the nominee.  That's as it should be.  But here there was a difference.  In the Republican primary (both 2016 and 2020), those trying to defeat Trump didn't just disagree on policy, they vilified the man in the harshest of terms.  Yet once he got the nomination and had obviously captured the party, they all fell in line, one after the other, and kissed his ring.  The fact that they had defined him in such negative, dangerous, and unfit terms was now irrelevant.

Then there were those, such as George W. Bush, who refused, even when implored by his daughter, to come out against Trump.  He didn't support him or say good things about him, but in this situation, remaining silent was the equivalent of endorsing him.  It's like Niemöller in Germany who didn't speak out against the Nazis and when they came to get him, it was too late.  (See my post, "Hitler-Trump Analogy.")

But thankfully there were a brave few who refused to forsake their principles—Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Mitt Romney—as well as those behind the Lincoln Project, who tried to convince fellow Republicans to not support Trump.  It was to no avail, but their actions are a bright light during this sordid period of the Republican Party.

Unless Trump starts a nuclear war, he will not leave the United States in a heap of rubble.  But he can devastate our institutions and severely damage the country.  

One thing is certain: he will not Make America Great Again.  That has been a great marketing tool, but as is often the case with marketing, it bears little relation to reality.  (See my post, "The 2020 Election Is about the Survival of American Democracy, of our Historic Values.")

The Hitler - Trump Analogy

Before you say this is over the top, read on.

Germans were very dispirited in the 1920s.  They had lost WWI, the reparations demanded by the victors crippled the economy, inflation was so massive that money was literally worthless.

Then along came Hitler who preached that Germany was great and he wanted to make it great again.  That they only lost the war because Germany was stabbed in the back by the German Jews.  They were the enemy and had to be cleansed from the country.  

He spoke as a person of towering strength and force.  And Germans were ready for a strong leader to lift up Germany and make them feel good about themselves again.  

The conservative leaders of Germany thought that Hitler was a maniac but that he could be controlled and wouldn't last long, so they supported him to advance their cause.

Hitler did make Germany powerful again, but only for a short time.  Ultimately, he deceived the German people and plunged them into a nightmare (the physical destruction of Germany by bombing) that they could not have imagined.   And those who thought they could control him found that they could not because he had the devoted support of the people.

Many Americans, mainly white middle-class workers, were dispirited as the 21st century began.  Their lives had been turned upside down by globalization, the loss of jobs, and if they had one, stagnant wages; prices were rising.  They saw the government paying attention to and drafting programs to help the poor and people of color, but nothing was being done to help them; they felt neglected.

Then along came Donald Trump.    He wanted to make America great again and restore the middle class to what was rightfully their's.  He blamed illegal immigration for taking away their jobs and bringing crime into their communities, ruining America.  And so he planned to deport millions of them.  He said that if he lost the 2024 election, the Jews would be to blame.  

Trump spoke as a person of towering strength and force.  He sounded outraged by what had happened to the middle-class worker and gave powerful voice to their grievances.  The middle-class worker had lost all trust in the government and were ready to follow a powerful leader who would restore their rights.  And he made then feel good about themselves again.

And so Trump could do no wrong.  Whatever he said, they believed.

Other Republican leaders and officials realized his instability and failings, but they thought they could ride to power on Trump's coattails.  Or they were scared of him.  And upper class conservatives didn't care whether he had no character and was an inveterate liar because he espoused policies that they favored.

And so we are once again in an election season where the country and the world waits with breathless anticipation of the results, with either dread or hope.  If Trump wins, there is no question in my mind that he will destroy the fabric of America and do great damage to our institutions of government.  And that all those who supported him will come to realize what a mistake they made.

If and when that happens, they will say what Pastor Niemöller said about his enabling of the Nazi's in Germany: "First they came to get the Communists and I said nothing.  Then they came to get the Jews and I said nothing.  Now they have come to get me and there is no one left to speak out for me."

I hope Americans planning on voting for Trump see the truth before it's too late and vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.