The 2016 Presidential Election Trainwreck

[Jeff Lebowski]

I know people really rail against the Hitler comparison, but it's pretty much a bad idea to vote angry for some loony with a bad combover who will say anything. This motherf*cker straight up asserted he would force the military to commit war crimes. When this was brought to his attention he proceeded to double down on that shit. Not to mention his complete contempt for immigrants and muslims. If a Hitler comparison isn't apt, I don't know what is.

Exactly. Which is why it is increasingly common.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-donald-trump/

If there’s one comparison you never make, it’s comparing someone to Adolph Hitler. It just isn’t done, because almost no one in history was as bad as Hitler was.

But in an election season that has broken a lot of the boundaries that used to dictate what could and couldn’t be said in presidential politics, that particular trope just won’t go away.

[Topper]

I don't know who he is so I am bowing out at your suggestion, even though you didn't answer the question as to what is it you are saying about the millions of Americans who have voted for him.

I am going to see how dumb I am though and ask all my friends if they know who Mike Goodwin is.

The comparisons only work if you use loose analogies to their philosophies.

Mein Kampf was expose on Hitler's mindset. If you review his family history, you will begin to understand he came from a very screwed up family and then the catastrophic aspects of post WWI solidified his crazy mindset. He adopted an authoritarian philosophy as a way to correct certain penalties heaped upon Germany post-WWI. He was a person, besides hitting the wrong chord at the wrong time, who had no notable personal accomplishments and fell into to some powerfully, evil and ingenious personalities. The policies adopted were isolationist because Hitler believe outsiders had led to Germany's downfall in WWI at the Treaty of Versailles. The reparations were oppressive and unwise, but France demanded they be imposed.

Trump came from a privileged mindset and from many of the debate answers, it is apparent Trump has not thought through his "philosophy". I don't believe Trump believes half the shit he speaks about, but he has hit a nerve during an angry period. In some respects Trump advocates authoritarian positions which are crazy, and he is using xenophobic tendencies within any diverse population to engender support. You can see these tendencies in France and in Germany as well. Japan has exhibited them for many years in regards to Koreans.

However, I believe the analogy breaks down because the personal histories are so radically different. Trump was money, glory and power. That was not Hitler's ultimate objective. I have no idea if Trump is evil or not, but his speech is despicable.

[imanihonjin]

Exactly. Which is why it is increasingly common.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-donald-trump/

Keep on using those logical fallacies though.

[byu71]

Exactly. Which is why it is increasingly common.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-donald-trump/

UH, President Obama was not born in the US, he is a Muslim "trope" won't go away. I consider those thoughts to be nutso depsite the "trope".

[San Juan Sun]

I don't think Trump is plotting the Final Solution or anything like that, but he uses the same demagogery that Hitler/Mussolini used. As a principle, I don't think we should vote for people whose only real principle is power.

[Topper]

I know people really rail against the Hitler comparison, but it's pretty much a bad idea to vote angry for some loony with a bad combover who will say anything. This motherf*cker straight up asserted he would force the military to commit war crimes. When this was brought to his attention he proceeded to double down on that shit. Not to mention his complete contempt for immigrants and muslims. If a Hitler comparison isn't apt, I don't know what is.

There are numerous candidates and parties in the world which are against the free flowing immigration, in almost every European nation. Being anti-Muslim or anti-immigrant doesn't make one wanting to engage in the die Endloesung. If you are stating, anybody who espouses an anti-immigrant policy is comparable to Hitler, I get your drift, but I believe it is sloppy.

[Flystripper]

Hitler's appeal that brought him to power is the same appeal that Trump possesses. Nobody is saying that Trump will be able to set up a bunch of prison camps for Mexicans and Muslims. What people are saying is that Trump is tapping in to the base emotions of his constituency and we should be aware how these ideals have shaped the major conflicts throughout history. I don't know where a Trump presidency would lead us but the thought is quite troubling.

[byu71]

There are numerous candidates and parties in the world which are against the free flowing immigration, in almost every European nation. Being anti-Muslim or anti-immigrant doesn't make one wanting to engage in the die Endloesung. If you are stating, anybody who espouses an anti-immigrant policy is comparable to Hitler, I get your drift, but I believe it is sloppy.

In the US there are racists, nazi's, communists, terrorists, anti semites, biggots, homo phobes, socialists, sexism, etc. These are people who espouse or act in despicable ways.

The easiest way to shut someone down from expressing their opinions is to call the person or intimate the person is acting in that (stated above) manner. Knowing Trump, I wouldn't doubt he too has used this technique. I know Hillary has.

[Topper]

Hitler's appeal that brought him to power is the same appeal that Trump possesses. Nobody is saying that Trump will be able to set up a bunch of prison camps for Mexicans and Muslims. What people are saying is that Trump is tapping in to the base emotions of his constituency and we should be aware how these ideals have shaped the major conflicts throughout history. I don't know where a Trump presidency would lead us but the thought is quite troubling.

Hitler had a much more complex appeal than simple xenophobia.

Trump's appeal is authoritarian with blame shifting to immigrants. I grant you, but I wonder why every time somebody espouses xenophobic tendencies we necessary seek to prove Godwin's law.

[byu71]

Hitler had a much more complex appeal than simple xenophobia.

Trump's appeal is authoritarian with blame shifting to immigrants. I grant you, but I wonder why every time somebody espouses xenophobic tendencies we necessary seek to prove Godwin's law.

Who is Godwin?

[imanihonjin]

Who is Godwin?

I don't know if you are being serious or not. If not, . If you are serious, that is awesome. Thank you.

[Topper]

Who is Godwin?

I thought JL gave you a link, but he is the one that came up with some spiffy theories that many discussions between adversaries will degenerate to a point where somebody equates one of the parties with Hitler or Stalin or Mao. At that point, it is argued that people are just resorting to ad hominem attacks and not discussing the merits of the relative positions. There are some corollaries as well. I have never bothered to research his background.

[Commando]

There are numerous candidates and parties in the world which are against the free flowing immigration, in almost every European nation. Being anti-Muslim or anti-immigrant doesn't make one wanting to engage in the die Endloesung. If you are stating, anybody who espouses an anti-immigrant policy is comparable to Hitler, I get your drift, but I believe it is sloppy.

No that's not the crux of it. Cruz has a very similar stance, minus the anti-muslim rhetoric. It's the number of things that are on-point between the two, including the nationalist, nativist, anti-immigrant rhetoric which he may or may not truly espouse. Do I think he is literally going to do the same things as Hitler-gas chambers and all that? Of course not. But the point is that Hitler did things that were radically different than Germany voted for that nobody in their right mind would have could they have seen the future. And Trump seems likewise inclined to do whatever he wants and is extremely willing to silence anyone that gets in his way and punish those who criticize him. Much like Hitler, he is a f*cking asshole, and nobody I trust to respect the will of the people or work with those that disagree with him. THAT is the gist of the comparison.

[Topper]

No that's not the crux of it. Cruz has a very similar stance, minus the anti-muslim rhetoric. It's the number of things that are on-point between the two, including the nationalist, nativist, anti-immigrant rhetoric which he may or may not truly espouse. Do I think he is literally going to do the same things as Hitler-gas chambers and all that? Of course not. But the point is that Hitler did things that were radically different than Germany voted for that nobody in their right mind would have could they have seen the future. And Trump seems likewise inclined to do whatever he wants and is extremely willing to silence anyone that gets in his way and punish those who criticize him. THAT is the gist of the comparison.

People could use less toxic comparisons, but the purpose of such a comparison is to forever brand the individual as an inhuman monster deserving of immediate death.

There are many nationalist, anti-immigrant candidates in many countries. However, comparing to Hitler, if it sticks, is the death knell.

Here is a list of them for example. They have not risen to the dominant party, but many have made the percentage inroads Trump has achieved. Naturally, the comparison is not complimentary no matter what.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/0...n_6511022.html

[Commando]

People could use less toxic comparisons, but the purpose of such a comparison is to forever brand the individual as an inhuman monster deserving of immediate death.

There are many nationalist, anti-immigrant candidates in many countries. However, comparing to Hitler, if it sticks, is the death knell.

Speaking of hyperbole-- I think the purpose is to merely brand someone as fascist and undeserving of the highest office in the land. In this case, it's spot-on. Maybe he should be compared to David Duke? Well since Trump apparently doesn't even know who that is, we'll go with a more well-known white supremacist.

And why shouldn't it stick? He's the one literally pandering for the white supremacist vote!! WTF!