1930's Germany & 2005 America: Comparison of facts

I have to admit, that as soon as the Patriot Act in 2001 was passed, I mentally made a comparison between the Reichstag fire and Hitler's being granted the Enabling Acts. I know this is a highly emotional topic, but does someone mind donating a few minutes of their time to comparing the facts of these two eras ? I've been a Democrat since 1972, so of course in 2008 I'm voting for the Democrat, even if he or she is not my first choice. Thanks in advance for yout time.

opposition members of the Reichstag were arrested, opposition parties were formally banned. Important opposition politicians went underground, went to Dachau or disappeared. There were no more opposed elections until Hitler was dead.

Really, if you're trying to equate America today with Germany in 1938, it's a pretty weak analogy.

I guess both Hitler and Bush took office in January.

If this was 1938 Germany though, Ted Kennedy would be in Dachau, Hillary Clinton would have disappeared, there would be no Democratic members of the congress, and Bush would not have beaten Kerry for reelection. There would have been no election for reelection.

And if this was like Hitler, we wouldn't be posting anything on DU. Maybe we'd be scratching insults to Bush on concrete prison barrack walls in concentration camps - if we were lucky.

mygod...of course bushinc isn't nakedly aggressive as old hitler etc....the germans never had an anti fascist history to mull over while adolph was on the prowl...adolph didn't have to hide each step of his scheme....and once he controlled the newspapers he grabbed the brass ring...bushinc can't, cuz they'd die....lol. Even when they do consolidate their powers, they'll never be as free as the nazis were...and they know it. in a way, the bushmonkees are riding a much more fickle tiger then the nazis could even imagine; and if bushinc makes too grievious a mistake, even the freepers will turn on them.....and it takes little to imagine what that will be like.
The similarities are in methodology, intent....but hiding these things is simply more difficult today...the busheviks are every bit as vile as the nazis- they would gaily kill tens of millions, given the chance

NONE of the stuff you mention happened till many years passed in the comparable time frame.

We are only 4 years into this - the "Germany" we've come to know didn't happen till much later.

We are RIGHT ON SCHEDULE on the timeline.

It is a VERY STRONG analogy to compare today's Amerikkka WITH THE SAME PERIOD in Nazi Germany's evolution. VERY STRONG.

The fact that so many comparisons CAN be made at all is what's so alarming.

But I don't think it will be comparable when all is said and done. It will be MUCH WORSE. Bush and the christo-fascist repukes will eclipse them.

and the Enabling Acts were passed on March 23 of 1933 so I don't know what timeline we're talking about. The Enabling Acts (Law for the Removal and Dstress of the People and the Reich) allowed Hitler to rule by decree.

The first "model" concentration camp at Dachau outside of Munich was opened just a little while later also in March of 1933.

The Night of the Long Knives was on June 30 of 1934. That was where Hitler settled with many politicians that he had grievences against including the head of his own Sturm Abteilung (SA).

DU is a wonderful place to get and share great information, but it is at its weakest when discussing history. I admit that it's aggravating to this old history teacher. I try to hold my tongue, but sometimes the nonsense gets too thick to slide over.

The fact is that by Hitler's second year in power, he was an absolute dictator, and challenging him openly at any level meant you disappeared. The very fact that we at DU can write the stuff we write proves that Bush in his fifth year is not following any progression of Hitler's.

If he is evil, he is following his own 'evilicious' path. Leave the Hitler nonsense alone.