Trump as Hitler

As the rhetoric continues to heat up the name calling and hate increases also.  Isn't it interesting that those who consider themselves the most decent and kind among us who have all the right answers to help people can be the nastiest and most hateful?  It's really a strange phenomenon.

Anyway, the current narrative is that Trump is just another Hitler.  Really?  That is what they are saying.  So I got to thinking about the comparison and did a little research.  The first thing I found is that the last several Republicans have all been identified as being another Hitler.  GW Bush, GHW Bush, Reagan...all of them.  They all have been characterized at one time or another by those kind and loving Democrats as Hitler.  Nice, huh?

So let's look at a few comparisons.  Hitler's first and foremost ideological theory was hatred of Jews.  He based a ton of his policies on this hatred.  Trump's closest advisor and son-in-law is a Jew.  His daughter is a converted Jew.  His Grandchildren are Jews.  He has never, not even once, indicated any disdain for Jews.  He has reached out to Jews, both in this country and Israel.  He has said definitively that he is a strong supporter of Israel and will always have their back.  He has invited their Prime Minister to visit early in the Presidency.  So, by all accounts he is open and just fine with Jews.

Hitler was a man of the streets.  Early in his march to the Fuhrer position, he resorted to street thuggery to harass and intimidate his enemies.  He had no regard for the rule of law.  Trump has proven to be the opposite of that.  Trump has said over and over that he wants to adhere to the Constitution.  His respect for and insistence on following the Constitution in all legal matters make him the opposite of Hitler.  Trump is Mr Insider.  And far from encouraging violence, he has been the victim of political thugs causing violent episodes at his events.

After Hitler solidified his control over Germany, he turned outward.  He was all about expanding territory and conquering other countries.  He was an expansionist...a dramatic expansionist.  Trump is anything but that.  If anything, there is fear that he will be too protectionist, that he will turn inward too much.  One thing is certain, he will not be a go-it-alone dictator.

Hitler was a national Socialist.  Of course, it was a bit of a perversion of Socialism in that he just wanted it for the superior race, but make no mistake that he was a socialist.  Once again, Trump is the opposite.  Trump is a Capitalist and an industrialist.  He has clearly and definitively stated that he wants economic growth to help people live better lives.  And he believes that with a better economic environment then race, class and gender biases and differences will go away.  Hitler had not concern for those issues.

I guess some critics could believe that they are alike in their disdain for the media.  And there may be some parallels, but that's as far as it goes.  Hitler shut down the media.  There was no dissent.  He had his thumb on all methods of information dissemination in Germany.  In 2017 USA, there is no way, none, that the media could be strangled.  We have simply come so far into the media world's domination, that they could never be muffled.  And I don't really think Trump wants that.

Finally, the President has a lot of power.  But he doesn't have the power, like Hitler did, to disband laws and enact autocratic policies.   We have an Executive branch, a Judicial branch, and a legislative branch to provide for checks and balances.  It's almost unimaginable that Trump would try to circumvent that process.

So what are the Hitler comparisons about?  I think fundamentally it's a further attempt to delegitimize the President.  I'm hoping that it will fade away as all ridiculous accusations do.  Because if it doesn't it could do real harm.