My brother asked me how he could unsubscribe from my blog, as he is tired of hearing me rant about Donald Trump’s wickedness. You know what? I’m tired of it too, but somebody has to do it. My brother is a Conservative, so I responded to him with the words used by the most famous Conservative in American politics, the late Barry Goldwater, who in his 1964 Republican convention acceptance speech said, “I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!”
Those of you who are over 100 years old know how Hitler and the Nazis rose to power, but, with the help of AI, I’ll summarize it for the rest of you.
Hitler’s rise to power and the dismantling of democracy in Germany was a calculated and systematic process. Here are some key steps he took:
- Appointment as Chancellor: On January 30, 1933, President Hindenburg appointed Hitler as Chancellor of Germany.
- Reichstag Fire: On February 27, 1933, the Reichstag building (German parliament) was set on fire. Hitler used this event to claim that communists were plotting against the German government.
- Reichstag Fire Decree: Following the fire, the Reichstag Fire Decree was passed, which suspended civil liberties such as freedom of speech, press, and assembly.
- Enabling Act: On March 23, 1933, the Enabling Act was passed, giving Hitler the power to enact laws without the involvement of the Reichstag. This effectively gave him dictatorial powers.
- Elimination of Political Opposition: Hitler banned all political parties except for the Nazi Party and its affiliates. Trade unions were also banned.
- Control Over Institutions: The Nazi regime took control over the economy, media, army, and judiciary, consolidating power and eliminating any potential opposition.
To me, the Reichstag Fire Decree sounds a lot like the Patriot Act. The Enabling Act sounds a lot like Executive orders by the President. Control over Institutions – We have billionaires controlling the major media outlets, and the ones they don’t control are called “fake news.”
Comparing current events to the rise of Nazism can be a bit of a stretch, but it’s always good to stay informed and engaged in the political process. Democracy thrives when citizens are active participants. If you’re concerned about specific policies or trends, consider getting involved in advocacy, staying informed through diverse news sources, and participating in elections. Your voice matters.
The United States no longer has a robust system of checks and balances. Trump is the President. His MAGA followers control both houses of Congress and are afraid to contradict him and be primaried out of office. Trump appointed many of the Supreme Court Judges and they repaid him by saying that the President has immunity from crimes committed while in office. Two billionaires, Rupert Murdoch and Jeff Bezos, control much of the print media and Fox news. Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, and Mark Zuckerberg control social media, and were given front row seats at Trump’s inauguration. I see Democracy slipping away. Already there is a bill in Congress proposed by Rep. Andy Ogles to allow Donald Trump to have an unprecedented third term.
This proposal aims to amend the 22nd Amendment to allow a president to be elected for up to three terms. It’s a significant change and would require a constitutional amendment, which is a complex and challenging process. I think they will first try to make the constitutional amendment process easier. That might get the 2/3 vote required way more easily.
The key mechanisms Hitler and the Nazi Party used to systematically dismantle democracy in Germany’s Weimar Republic.
- Exploitation of Democratic Weaknesses
- The Weimar Republic’s constitution had Article 48, which gave the president emergency powers to rule by decree in times of crisis
- The Nazis took advantage of proportional representation rules that created a fragmented parliament with many small parties, making stable coalition governments difficult
- Economic instability and hyperinflation had weakened public faith in democratic institutions
- Strategic Use of Violence and Intimidation
- The SA (Brownshirts) used street violence to create chaos and intimidate political opponents
- They disrupted meetings of other political parties and attacked their members
- This violence was then used to justify “emergency measures” to restore order
- Control of Information and Propaganda
- Joseph Goebbels led a sophisticated propaganda campaign that:
- Blamed Germany’s problems on specific groups (especially Jews and communists)
- Presented Hitler as Germany’s savior
- Used new technology like radio and film to spread Nazi messages
- Independent newspapers were either shut down or brought under Nazi control
- Legal and Constitutional Manipulation
- The Reichstag Fire (which many historians believe the Nazis orchestrated) was used to pass the Reichstag Fire Decree
- This decree suspended basic civil rights including:
- Freedom of speech
- Freedom of the press
- Right to assembly
- Privacy of postal and telephone communications
- The Enabling Act effectively ended democracy by allowing Hitler to pass laws without parliamentary approval
- Institutional Takeover
- A process called Gleichschaltung (coordination) brought all aspects of society under Nazi control
- State governments were stripped of authority
- Trade unions were abolished and replaced with the Nazi-controlled German Labor Front
- Professional organizations, youth groups, and cultural institutions were nazified
- The civil service was purged of “unreliable” elements
- Economic Control
- Major businesses were pressured to support the regime
- Jewish-owned businesses were systematically excluded from the economy
- A massive rearmament program created jobs and economic dependency on the regime
- Creation of a Police State
- The Gestapo (secret state police) was established
- A network of informants was created to report dissent
- Concentration camps were established for political opponents
- Elimination of Opposition
- Other political parties were banned
- Opposition leaders were arrested or forced into exile
- The Night of the Long Knives eliminated potential rivals within the Nazi movement itself
- Military Control
- The army was forced to swear a personal oath of loyalty to Hitler
- Military leadership was gradually replaced with Nazi loyalists
- Social Engineering
- Education was reformed to indoctrinate youth with Nazi ideology
- The Hitler Youth organization was made mandatory
- Women were pushed out of professional life
- Racial laws were implemented to exclude “undesirable” groups
The effectiveness of these mechanisms lay in their gradual implementation and their appearance of legality. Each step seemed to respond to a crisis or need, making it harder for opponents to rally resistance. The process took advantage of existing democratic structures and turned them against democracy itself.
For almost a century, we have been saying, “It can’t happen here.” Re-read those 10 key mechanisms that Hitler employed and you will already see many modern equivalents, and Trump’s only been in office for a week. Just as Hitler had a plan, Trump has Project 2025.
Trump has already pardoned 1500 of his “Brown shirts,” though they have traded in their brown shirts for red baseball caps. The Supreme Court has already declared Trump immune from prosecution for any crimes he commits while in office. So, he’s immune and he can pardon any criminals who commit crimes for him. Many of Trump’s opponents have received death threats, and Trump has taken away their security details to make it easier for his thugs to harm the opposition.
Immigrants are the Trump equivalent to Hitler’s Jews. The deportations have already started and the detainment centers are on their way. Major businesses have already been pressured to support the regime, and their multi-million dollar contributions were rewarded with front-row seats to the Inauguration. FEMA funds for the California fires are being held back to punish the Democratic leadership in the State of California.
I’d love to go back to writing the fluff pieces and the funny articles that my brother likes, but the Barbarians are no longer at the gate. They tricked us into opening the gate, and we voted them in. Now, it may already be too late, but we have to try and stop them if we do not want to see government of the people, by the people, and for the people perish.
Peace & Love, and all of the above,
Earl
earlthepearl137 