Kindred Spirits

(More thoughts inspired by Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism)

The overarching principle of the Nazi Party was that "the common good must come before self interest." Its 1920 platform, written by Hitler and Anton Drexler, made a "concerted appeal to socialist and populist economics." Other tenets of the platform: "universal education, guaranteed employment, increased entitlements for the aged, the expropriation of land without compensation, the nationalization of industry, the abolition of market-based lending, the expansion of health services, and the abolition of child labor. The Nazis campaigned as socialists, but they were also nationalists. Later, Stalin ruled as a nationalist, invoking "Mother Russia."

Goldberg writes, "The Nazis borrowed whole sections from the communist playbook. Party members were referred to as comrades. The Nazis and the communists were "two dogs fighting for the same bone" in Germany. Millions of communists "changed sides" to follow Hitler. Photographs, posters, slogans, and emblems were everywhere." Sound familiar?

After Hitler seized power, he became more receptive to pleas from businessmen: "the demands of his war machine required no less, but party propaganda still aimed relentlessly at workers. "People's cars" were promised to every worker. Eventually they became the Volkswagons we know today. Nazis were brilliant at arguing for a one-nation politics in which a farmer and a businessman were valued equally."

To the Marxist (Obama?) socialism was tied up with internationalism. Hitler was all about Germany. Moreover, he came to believe that there was a Jewish conspiracy to destroy Germany. Some communists and socialists had Jewish-sounding names, and that was all old Adolph needed to know; they could not be trusted.

Goldberg points out, though, that communism and Nazism are kindred spirits. "Both ideologies are reactionary in the sense that they try to recreate tribal impulses. Communists champion class, Nazis race, and fascists the nation." I don't see our current leaders in Washington standing up for our nation or the ideas upon which our nation was built. Obama, for example, seems to be much more of an internationalist than a nationalist.

However, have you noticed how the lefties delegitimize anyone who is not one of them? Obama's henchmen have really been going after Rush Limbaugh. Did you see the You Tube video of David Letterman saying that he hopes the Republicans will make Rush Limbaugh their leader? Letterman thinks that would be great, because Rush is "fat," and "had his housekeeper illegally buy drugs for him."