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Tomonthebeach's avatar

Fascism is so gradual that even a history professor is doomed to repeat it.

While in grad school 50 years ago, I met my BFF Axel from Stuttgart. Our relationship groomed me as a cosmopolitan as we visited back and forth over the decades. As I got to know his family, and the parents of his friends, I could not help but inquire in casual chit-chat what it was like as Hitler rose to power. The answer was always something gradual until the Reichstag fire coup. By then he had so much surprising institutionalized support that is was unstoppable. He ran on "Make Germany Great Again." The greedy tycoons saw him as a dimbulb clown who would be easy to manipulate into business expansion. That was pretty much how Hitler likely viewed them. However, Hitler had a militia and an army that he controlled which made his way or the concentration camp the only option.

During retirement, I ran across Columbia U professor R.O. Paxton's "Anatomy of Fascism" (the pdf is free to download if you google a bit). In 2018, I emailed Bob and asked him if he thought Trump was a fascist. Shockingly, he said no. "But, Bob, I used your criteria to come to that conclusion." Trump snuck up on him too apparently, because in 2021, he published an OpEd in Newsweek: "I've Hesitated To Call Donald Trump A Fascist Until Now."

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Ed Nuhfer's avatar

Thanks. Wish this site had more posts like yours.

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Tomonthebeach's avatar

Thanks. I whish more sites had posts like Thom's.

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William Farrar's avatar

Admiral, what are your thoughts these days on the JCS and Pentagon being co opted by Trump?

My nominee for Chairman of the JCS,is Lt Gen Mike Flynn's brother General Charles Flynn.

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Tomonthebeach's avatar

Hegseth would likely be ineffective and a morale killer, since his remarks betray that he has no idea what real generals do. But he is not there yet. Gen Flynn is not eligible to be JCS chair.

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William Farrar's avatar

Why is Charles Flynn ineligible to be JCS Chair,? And since when laws and eligibility stop Trump.

Here is what I found: "What is the criteria for chairman?

The person leading the Board of the organisation must be seen to have the highest personal standards with regard to honesty, reliability, and commitment to the role. They must lead by example. There should be no doubt that they can be trusted at all times"

And that determination is up to the President,in this case Trump.

That Hegseth would be ineffective and a moral killer is irrelevant to Trump, He wants some one who will obey and let loose the military on the populace.

An ineffective and non combat ready military is the plan and goal of Putin, and frankly a lot (too many) Marxist and leftists, Trump and his regime don't care, so long as they can use the military to squash the libs and immigrants.

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Tomonthebeach's avatar

Flynn is ineligible because he is retired and may not be recalled to active duty to fill that role - assuming Trump plays by the rules.

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William Farrar's avatar

I didn't realize that Charles Flynn was retired. But again Trump playing by the rules? Has ne ever?

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