What Democrats fighting Trump should learn from Germany’s failure to stop Hitler

[Guno צְבִי]

In the final years of the Weimar Republic, the German left was paralyzed by ideological divisions, by a failure to persuade broad swathes of the populace that it was capable of guiding the country out of its economic and domestic turmoil, and to neutralize the snowballing popular appeal of a budding despot — Adolf Hitler.

Today, the American left faces a similarly perilous moment. Since Donald Trump began his second term in office, the Democratic Party — shut out of power in both chambers of Congress — has been flailing around in search of ways to thwart his dismantling of the country’s democratic norms. And with the MAGA-fied Congressional Republicans marching in lock-step with Trump, he has repeatedly outmaneuvered the fractured Democrats.

We’ve seen a version of this movie before, in a different setting, with different players, and with different social, economic and cultural conditions. Parallels are inexact, of course. But there are so many similarities that they warrant an examination of why the German left — and in particular the Social Democratic Party — failed to stop Hitler.

What Democrats fighting Trump should learn from Germany's failure to stop Hitler

As Trump assaults the rule of law, echoes of history reverberate in Washington and throughout America

forward.com

 

[T. A. Gardner]

In the final years of the Weimar Republic, the German left was paralyzed by ideological divisions, by a failure to persuade broad swathes of the populace that it was capable of guiding the country out of its economic and domestic turmoil, and to neutralize the snowballing popular appeal of a budding despot — Adolf Hitler.

What a complete load of bullshit that is! Hitler came to power as a distinct minority party initially forming a coalition government. This isn't possible in the US election system but is possible in the European parliamentary system.

Today, the American left faces a similarly perilous moment. Since Donald Trump began his second term in office, the Democratic Party — shut out of power in both chambers of Congress — has been flailing around in search of ways to thwart his dismantling of the country’s democratic norms. And with the MAGA-fied Congressional Republicans marching in lock-step with Trump, he has repeatedly outmaneuvered the fractured Democrats.

The Republicans are "lockstep?" Hardly. How many Republicans voted against Trump's budget bill? How many Democrats for it? The Democrats, today, run anyone who dares go against the party leadership out of their party on a rail. For example, Sinema and Manchin, and next it's likely to be Fetterman.

The problem the Democrats face is not one of party loyalty. They demand and get that. What they fail on is their agenda. The Left's agenda isn't popular with roughly 80% of Americans to one degree or another. The Democrats don't get that, and the Left can't get that.

We’ve seen a version of this movie before, in a different setting, with different players, and with different social, economic and cultural conditions. Parallels are inexact, of course. But there are so many similarities that they warrant an examination of why the German left — and in particular the Social Democratic Party — failed to stop Hitler.

The reason the German Left didn't stop Hitler was most of it loved the guy right up to about 1942 when the war started going South for them. Pre-war, they were more than willing to form a coalition with him. Sure, the communists-- the extreme Left-- were against Hitler because he didn't go far enough with Socialism and their agenda, but the Left in general was onboard with what he was doing.

What Democrats fighting Trump should learn from Germany's failure to stop Hitler

As Trump assaults the rule of law, echoes of history reverberate in Washington and throughout America

forward.com

What a complete load of bullshit that is!

 

[NiftyNiblick]

The American resistance isn't powerful enough either.
It may seem impossible to some,
but the reality is that we may eventually need to be liberated by an outside party.

 

[Nordberg]

What a complete load of bullshit that is! Hitler came to power as a distinct minority party initially forming a coalition government. This isn't possible in the US election system but is possible in the European parliamentary system.


The Republicans are "lockstep?" Hardly. How many Republicans voted against Trump's budget bill? How many Democrats for it? The Democrats, today, run anyone who dares go against the party leadership out of their party on a rail. For example, Sinema and Manchin, and next it's likely to be Fetterman.

The problem the Democrats face is not one of party loyalty. They demand and get that. What they fail on is their agenda. The Left's agenda isn't popular with roughly 80% of Americans to one degree or another. The Democrats don't get that, and the Left can't get that.


The reason the German Left didn't stop Hitler was most of it loved the guy right up to about 1942 when the war started going South for them. Pre-war, they were more than willing to form a coalition with him. Sure, the communists-- the extreme Left-- were against Hitler because he didn't go far enough with Socialism and their agenda, but the Left in general was onboard with what he was doing.

What a complete load of bullshit that is!

Trump has a coalition government. He has the TRump party and the Republican party working as one. The long-term Repubs gave up their power to grovel to Trump.