A National Review commentator is blasting an attack ad from GOP presidential contender Gov. John Kasich that links front-running rival Donald Trump to Nazi Germany.
The 60-second spot, titled "Trump's Dangerous Rhetoric," features retired Air Force Col. Tom Moe, a prisoner of war in Vietnam, paraphrasing Protestant pastor Martin Niemöller, who spoke out against the Nazi regime and spent years in Nazi concentration camps, as images of Trump's controversial remarks flash on screen.
Conservative blogger Jim Geraghty writes in his National Review newsletter "Morning Jolt" that there are more indications "the country is sliding into a fascistic direction" elsewhere.
"We can argue about whether Trump and his style are good for American politics, but it's not like he's appearing … out of nothing," Geraghty writes. "If you fear the country is sliding into a fascistic direction, cast your gaze wider."
"If you really fear the leader of an angry mob roughing up reporters, suppressing all dissent, and making far-reaching, unrealistic demands that their ideology rule everywhere... don't look to a Trump rally," Geraghty warns. "Look to a college campus."
Geraghty argues Trump "never directly proposed" wanting to register Muslims with the government in what could be "a deliberate strategy." Special: Barbara Walters Refuses to Return to the View, Due to This Secret "When the media writes denunciatory headlines about his comments, Trump wins over the support of the Americans who think a national registry of Muslims would be a good idea," he writes. "But he also has plausible deniability, as he's never actually proposed it or explicitly said he supported it."
Geraghty adds Moe also "engages frustrating verbal slipperiness" himself, claiming Trump says he's 'going to round up all the Hispanic immigrants' when he's done nothing of the sort."
"We deport illegal immigrants every year… a policy that is Constitutional, legal, and morally justifiable. Trump is proposing an expansion of existing law -- nothing Nazi-ish about that."
To descriptions of a Trump comment about a crowd roughing up a Black Lives Matter protester, Geraghty notes "Moe unfairly attributes a racist hatred to the motivations of Trump and the protesters." And, Geraghty writes, "limiting press access to crowds of supporters is bad policy, but hardly fascistic," citing examples during past events for both George W. Bush and Hillary Clinton.
We all know that Trump is a corporatist. The Nazis were corporatists since they believed that corporations could do a better job than individuals. The United States has been a corporation since 1871.
Since you all are being so wonderful today, I won't burst either bubble this time...... even though I did just watch a great Military Blunders VHS about the, um, Battle of Kasserine Pass. And BTW, I've just (again) urged the Nationalist Times editor to jump in with us here.
Status report: Went to the free TG feed again for the 1st time since our great leader Dr. Robert Clarkson died. This time, bleaaagghh, they directed us to the gym of nabering Worst Presyterian Church. They sat me at a table with two no-count reggins I recognized from the soup kitchen. A white guy brought me my drink order and said "Thank you, sir!" So I jadedly said "you're welcome".
Now a chance for a little creative subversion arose -- I got my fellow diners agreeing the sodas were lukecold. The help started bringing us ice in cups, but suddenly the Spirit of Clarkson came upon me and I remembered to utter his immortal line.....
We need a better class of do-gooders around here!
They used to have the absolute best dressing at the old place -- not with the sanctimonious Presbies. It was better in the two take-home plates I got. (They don't even ask how many sick you've got at home anymore.) Gravy seems realer in the box. Oh -- waiting in line for 'em, a white guy with teenage son in front of me said "Gee, I guess we have to be thankful for something like this, huh!"
Me: Well, that's a two-edged sword.
Him: Well I mean on Thanksgiving and everything.
Me: Well, the soup kitchen for instance is a form of private sector socialism -- a blight on the economy. They're giving people food they'd otherwise be buying in local stores.
Him; I was just thinking of the people who really need it, who have no place to go.
Me: Very few -- very, VERY few.
He didn't report me or disagree. This was always our main point in bedeviling such places -- preaching the free market gospel over the gimme mentality. And having riotous fun! "Raiding the New World Order," we used to rightly call it.
Don't worry, he and his boy didn't look homeless. The takeout lady told him "I remember you from last year!"
Me: Well, the soup kitchen for instance is a form of private sector socialism -- a blight on the economy. They're giving people food they'd otherwise be buying in local stores.
I don't see how giving away food constitutes a blight on the economy, as the food undoubtedly had to be purchased before it could be given away.
There's pressure on corporations to donate it, and donate it they do. I used to walk in there and there'd be a big blow-up of a check on display for $1000 Walmart had donated.
I'd walk out of there with 8 or 10 different Pepperidge Farm loaves for the troops. Robert once told me it was fresh, not day-old stuff. I scoffed but soon checked -- he was right, of course. Baked that same morning. He knew from reading the paper.
Curse #2: they just spoil people. Never ask them to so much as stay and push a broom afterwards. Of course this could have been complicated: every day after hours the staff sat down and picnicked on the donated food. They always saved enough for this even during years of their stingy "no seconds" rule.
I see your your point about spoiling people, and agree with you 100% on that.
But I'm still not sold on the idea that giveaway = blight on the economy. Somebody pays for everything that is produced and consumed. WalMart had to buy the bread from Pepperidge Farm before they could donate it. And presumably the people who got the free food will take the money they saved and use it to purchase other stuff.
Maybe our definition of "blight" differs? If I replace the alternator on my neighbor's truck for $75, thus saving him from having to spend $300 at the local repair shop, is my action a blight on the economy?
If I replace the alternator on my neighbor's truck for $75, thus saving him from having to spend $300 at the local repair shop, is my action a blight on the economy?
You are being logical, that has nothing to do with political passions. How much of that dough are you using to support midnight basketball, for instance?
Plus witch, I don't think the bread was coming via Wal-Mart but directly from the bakers. And what are these hoodlums spending the money they save on? Have heard drug dealers talking shop there.
Anybody interested, try visiting such a place and let us know what attitudes and atmosphere you find there. You may be in for a shock.
Politics is the biggest shakedown racket of them all. Create an enemy out of thin air and rally the troops. All lies, of course, but it reminds everyone who is really in charge.
And this is a department of that make-work mentality. Habitat for Humanity is another -- I'd venture to say it exists solely to give Presbyterian pew- sitters a chance to (falsely) assuage their feelings of moral uselessness.