The Walker Hitler Comparisson

It is a sad twist of fate that now when we really need to hold up Hitler and the Nazis as the  example of how fascists gain power and behave when they "govern" we can't because of the furor and distractions that come from the atrocities they committed after coming to power.  No one is accusing Scott Walker of wanting to kill six million Jews or any similar atrocity.  The current discussion shouldn't be about what was done once power was consolidated but how power was consolidated that let such atrocities be committed. 

The relevant comparison is the how both use the usurpation of the democratic process and government transparency and replace it with a single party despotism that is sold by  wealthy elites as democracy to the general population using corporate/state media.  Again I am not comparing Walker to Hitler or implying he has any intention or ability to commit atrocities on the level of Hitler and the Nazis.  What I am saying is we would be foolish to ignore the lessons of Hitler and the Nazis methods for consolidating power as the techniques Walker and the Wisconsin GOP are using are similar.

The other lesson is that that level of consolidated power is dangerous and historically has lead to abuse.  We don't know yet what Walker and his cronies would do completely unfettered.  What we have seen so far does not bode well for dissidents, the poor, the working poor, the working, immigrants, people of color, the GLBT community, students, and organized labor.  At this point we have a strong federal government that should limit the type of atrocities that often happen when fascists take over at a federal level.

At a smaller scale many of the current policies being pursued by this administration are going to needlessly impoverish, kill or speed up the death of many people via their legislative attacks on healthcare for the poor, women and the elderly as well as direct attacks and the poor and working poor.  Although these actions are not as obvious and not at the historic world shaking scale of Hitler and the Nazis or Pol Pot, Stalin, Pinochet or any other Fascist dictator you would like to reference, to a decent, conscientious human being these unnecessary and pointless deaths by the pen still qualify as an atrocity.

There it is done.  My first post as a blogger I have committed legitimacy suicide by making the one comparison that can no longer be made in polite company without being completely marginalized even if it is true.

Arrrgh I can't believe I am blogging

Everything that has gone on so far in Wisconsin and will start up again tomorrow has made me need to find an outlet to vent and I need more characters than twitter. 

I'm tired and I have enjoyed the last few weeks of relative political peace in Wi.  Even though almost every day some new attack or corporate give away or both has quietly appeared to those of us paying attention.  No right wing agenda, interest group or idea has gone wanting since Walker came to office even if there is no one outside the administration actively seeking action on some of these items. 

Take for example the case of charter schools in Green Bay where the justification from Luther Olsens office via Sarah Archibald an Olsen staffer was "In every district there's always some level of dissatisfaction from someone" link


I'm not looking forward to going back to the protests and having to once again fight this constant onslaught meant to overwhelm, demoralize and destroy those of us not on the GOP kool aid party wagon/gravy train. Still tired or not I will be there with my wife and two kids of 3 years and 11 months.  It has been a great lesson for them in participatory democracy and if nothing else a safe, entertaining activity outside.