Just for fun

Okay, this takes some prep (so may not be worth it in the end).

Politico on Wednesday ran an article, The backlash: Reform turns personal, which noted that, "The vitriolic health care debate has become personal...".

Among many cited examples of implicit & explicit threats against Dems and their families is this:

Last week, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) warned that anti-abortion Democrats would suffer politically if they voted for the health care bill; he singled out [Representative Steve] Driehaus [D-OH], saying he “may be a dead man” and “can’t go home to the west side of Cincinnati” because “the Catholics will run him out of town.”

Apparently responding to the actual violence now being visited on Dems who voted for health insurance reform,...

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said, “The leader does not condone violence, and his remark was obviously not meant to be taken literally. He is urging Americans to take the anger they’re feeling and focus it on building a new majority that will listen to the people.”

The first thing that struck me about Steel's statement was the term used to identify Boehner: "the leader". Not "House Majority Leader Boehner", or "the House Majority Leader", or "the Majority Leader"... but, "the leader". It struck me as somewhat humorous.

Then I started thinking about it.
"The Leader."
Of whom is this reminiscent, and why does Steel's defense sound so familiar?

Well, let's see... there's the "Dear Leader", Kim Jong Il of North Korea... but no, Steel didn't say "dear leader", he said, "the leader".

... and then it dawned on me.

During his testimony, Hitler insisted that his party was determined to come to power legally, that the phrase "National Revolution" was only to be interpreted "politically", and that his Party was a friend, not an enemy of the Reichswehr.
[Wikipedia]

Ah, yes: der Fuehrer! - "the Leader"!... here using language very similar to that used by Boehner-spokesman Steel. "National Revolution" is simply a metaphor for political action and should not be taken literally. Similarly, Boehner's suggesting that Congressman Driehaus "may be a dead man" is simply hyperbolic metaphor.

And those folks toting signs suggesting that, "If Brown can't, a Browning can!" are speaking metaphorically.
And when Representative Michele Bachmann says she wants people "armed and dangerous", she is, of course, speaking metaphorically.

I note that the Nazi party polled just over 18% in 1928 German Federal elections... and in the mid-30%s in the two federal elections in 1932.

My bet? If a "Tea Party" candidate ran for national office today, he'd garner 18% of the vote... and Sarah Palin can probably count on 35% of the vote in 2012.

Now, it's a bit of stretch to draw a parallel between the racist, homophobic Tea Party crowd and the Brown Shirts... But: just because you're a minority, slightly nutty party, that doesn't mean you can't take over a modern industrial state!
[Of course, Germany's parliamentary system facilitated the Nazi takeover.
Still... Led by Cheney (Liz!), these folks could have real clout in 2012!...
oops, my paranoia is showing. I'll start taking my meds - I promise!]