One disturbing and growing theme during the health care debate has been that far right conservatives are panning Obama is a socialist/un-American/Nazi who wants nothing more than to kill your grandmother. Of course, we on the left find this laughable if only because we remember the bad-old-days of the Bush administration.
Indeed, many on the left panned Bush as a Nazi and unabashedly screamed it at the top of our lungs at protests and rallies. Now, with a new party in power and new social policies being put into place, it almost should come as no surprise that the right shouts over what is wrong with where this country is headed.
Now, it is a fact that neither Bush nor Obama are or were Nazis, but I really do feel it behooves us to examine which side of the shouting match was more accurate:
Responses to Terrorism:
Hitler - In response to the Reichstag Fire, Hitler successfully calls on then President Hindenburg to enact the Reichstag Fire Decree - an act that suspended most civil liberties in Germany and was a political tool used by Nazis to gain political power.
Bush - In response to the September 11th attacks, the Bush Administration successfully enacts the USA PATRIOT Act - an act that reduced civil liberties in the United States and was often used by the Republican Party as a political tool.
Obama - Though currently stalled, the Obama Administration is attempting to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center. The center holds prisoners of war for an indefinite period of time without receiving a trial.
Race:
Hitler - Subordination of various races, eventually leading to the Holocaust.
Bush - Questionable response to Hurricane Katrina leads the majority of African-Americans to question the Bush Administrations feelings toward race relations.
Obama - As the first African-American president, Obama often had to deal with race often and eventually spoke to the American people during his campaign about the issue in a frank and honest manor.
The Economy:
Hitler - Banned Labor Unions, initiated public works projects, placement of banks under strict government control.
Bush - Increased funding to the Department of Labor for the expressed purpose of enforcing the Landrum-Griffin Act, an act designed to monitor Union activity for legal wrong doing. During this time critics argue that new regulations are written to be intentionally confusing in order to make more unions violate the law.
Obama - Authorizes $144 Billion into public works projects in stimulus package and reenacts enforcement of post-depression era laws disregarded by the Bush Administration.
Foreign Policy:
Hitler - Withdrew from Geneva Convention, invaded countries without being provoked.
Bush - Unilaterally invaded Iraq after the United Nations stated that they would not support the war. Ignores various articles of the Geneva Convention stating that the war on terror was a new type of war where the old rules did not apply.
Obama - Starting the withdraw process of troops in Iraq and transferring many to Afghanistan, a war that the international community supports. International views of the United States have improved.
I am sure there are numerous examples that can be added to this…but I leave it up to you, dear reader, which president has followed more in Hitler’s goosestepping footprints?
Reposted from Blue in Red Zion.
