Worse Than Hitler

Guest Post by Jim Kunstler

Even the formerly august New York Times grants that Donald J. Trump has ignited a voter firestorm of grievance against a dumb show election process that rewards a craven avoidance of real issues. Immigration is actually a stand-in for the paralysis, incompetence, overreach, and bloatedness of government generally in our time — but it is a good doorway into the larger problem.

Immigration is a practical problem, with visible effects on-the-ground, easy to understand. I’m enjoying the Trump-provoked debate mostly because it is a pushback against the disgusting dishonesty of political correctness that has bogged down the educated classes in a swamp of sentimentality. For instance, Times Sunday Magazine staffer Emily Bazelon wrote a polemic last week inveighing against the use of the word “illegal” applied to people who cross the border without permission on the grounds that it “justifies their mistreatment.” One infers she means that sending them back where they came from equals mistreatment.

It’s refreshing that Trump is able to cut through this kind of tendentious crap. If that were his only role, it would be a good one, because political correctness is an intellectual disease that is making it impossible for even educated people to think — especially people who affect to be political leaders. Trump’s fellow Republicans are entertainingly trapped in their own cowardliness and it’s fun to watch them squirm.

But for me, everything else about Trump is frankly sickening, from his sneering manner of speech, to the worldview he reveals day by day, to the incoherence of his rhetoric, to the wolverine that lives on top of his head. The thought of Trump actually getting elected makes me wonder where Arthur Bremer is when we really need him.

Did any of you actually catch Trump’s performance last week at the so-called “town meeting” event in New Hampshire (really just a trumped-up pep rally)? I don’t think I miscounted that Trump told the audience he was “very smart” 23 times in the course of his remarks. If he really was smart, he would know that such tedious assertions only suggest he is deeply insecure about his own intelligence. After all, this is a man whose lifework has been putting up giant buildings that resemble bowling trophies, some of them in the service of one of the worst activities of our time, legalized gambling, which is based on the socially pernicious idea that it’s possible to get something for nothing.

I daresay that legalized gambling has had a possibly worse effect on American life the past three decades than illegal immigration. Gambling is a marginal activity for marginal people that belongs on the margins — the back rooms and back alleys. It was consigned there for decades because it was understood that it’s not healthy for the public to believe that it’s possible to get something for nothing, that it undermines perhaps the most fundamental principle of human life.

Trump’s verbal incoherence is really something to behold. He’s incapable of expressing a complete thought without venturing down a dendritic maze of digressions, often leading to an assertion of how much he is loved (another sign of insecurity). For example, when he attacked Jeb’s (no last name necessary) statement that we have to show Iraqi leaders that “we have skin in the game,” Trump invoked the “wounded warriors,” saying “I love them. They’re everywhere. They love me.” In the immortal words of Tina Turner, “what’s love got to do with it?”

Trump’s notion that he can push around world leaders such as Vladimir Putin by treating them as though they were president of the Cement Workers’ Union ought to give thoughtful people the vapors. It doesn’t seem to occur to Trump that other countries could easily get pugnacious towards us. He would have us in a world war before the inaugural parade was over.

The trouble is that it’s not inconceivable Trump could get elected. Farfetched, perhaps, but not out of the question. The USA is heading for a very rough patch of history — as those of you with your eyes on the stock indexes lately may suspect. The country stands an excellent chance of waking up some morning soon to discover it is broke and broken. When that happens, all the anxiety and animus will be focused on looking for scapegoats, and they are likely to be the wrong ones. World leaders considered Hitler a clown in the early going, too, you know. But the Germans were wild about him. He pushed a lot of the right buttons under the circumstances. Trump is worse than Hitler. And the American people, alas, are now surely a worse lot of ignorant, raging, tattooed slobs than the German people were in 1933. Be very afraid.


The third World Made By Hand novel

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49 Comments
kokoda
kokoda
August 24, 2015 10:05 am

Stating that Trump is worse than Hitler is completely asinine. How can I take your article seriously with that ludicrous statement.

Persnickety
Persnickety
August 24, 2015 10:30 am

What Kokoda said. Other than that, I agree with much of this – namely that immigration is a REAL ISSUE that has been ignored quite deliberately by the establishment (both parties / both faces of the one party), and that Trump is more than a little scary on the whole.

“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” The electioneering system has become a stupid game, and we’ve won several stupid prizes in a row. We could be getting ready for the dumbest one yet!

John Angelo
John Angelo
August 24, 2015 10:36 am

Nein nein nein nein nein to that foolish insinuation.

Anonymous
Anonymous
August 24, 2015 10:39 am

Politicians have gone their own way and just expected everyone to follow along without question for too long.

Trump is challenging this status quo of politics by presenting those things the people want presented instead of telling they what they should be wanting instead.

Whether things will actually change or not is something only time will tell, there are very, very powerful national and international interests that want it to stay the same.

Dutchman
Dutchman
August 24, 2015 10:39 am

Trump couldn’t do any worse than Bush or Obama.

Look at the candidates the Republicans have run in the past two elections: McCain and Romney. And if Trump wouldn’t have stepped up we might have gotten Jeb.

Even if Trump got only one thing done: halt illegal immigration – it would be better than what we have now.

Tucci78
Tucci78
August 24, 2015 10:41 am

“I daresay that legalized gambling has had a possibly worse effect on American life the past three decades than illegal immigration. Gambling is a marginal activity for marginal people that belongs on the margins — the back rooms and back alleys. It was consigned there for decades because it was understood that it’s not healthy for the public to believe that it’s possible to get something for nothing, that it undermines perhaps the most fundamental principle of human life.”
===============
Yeah, and it used to be the bread-and-butter of organized crime.

Gotta do away with “legalized gambling.”

And while we’re at it, let’s keep those state cigarette taxes high, and bring back the Volstead Act!

Stucky
Stucky
August 24, 2015 10:48 am

Hitler actually had principles (bad as they were) from which he did not waver. Trump is a waffler extraordinaire.

Also, Hitler was smarter.

kokoda
kokoda
August 24, 2015 10:56 am

For all you knuckleheads bashing Trump, it must mean you want to continue with the establishment career politicians like Bite Me, Hitlery, Bonehead the RINO, etc.

WTF is wrong with you?

Every single person running for Pres will waffle on issues, obfuscate, and say what you want to hear.
Yeah, Trump has faults like all the rest, but at least he comes straight out on some very important issues and doesn’t give BS.

Stucky
Stucky
August 24, 2015 10:57 am

“And the American people, alas, are now surely a worse lot of ignorant, raging, tattooed slobs than the German people were in 1933. Be very afraid.” ———–JK

Well, he nails it! And, yes, I AM very afraid …. of ignorant Amerikans just as much, if not more, than our dumbfuk politicians.

It’s a damn shame that Cuntsler uses such useless provocative language …. “WORSE” than Hitler???? Are you fucking kidding me?? That’s so goddamned fucking stupid it isn’t even worth a reply of any sort But, I guess it increases page clicks …. which is ALL Cuntsler ever really cares about.

Stucky
Stucky
August 24, 2015 11:06 am

“For all you knuckleheads bashing Trump, …. WTF is wrong with you?” ——— kokoda

Right back atcha! What’s wrong with YOU?? Sure, he’s fun, entertaining, and has a FEW “interesting” positions, especially on immigration.

I guess the question becomes; “Do his good points outweigh the bad?”

IMHO, they do not. Bad Trump points;
—- Israel lover
—- Waffler and bullshit artist
—- Government will GROW under his reign … you will LOSE even more freedoms
—- extremely militaristic … by his own words!! America’s endless wars will only increase.

Be careful what you wish for.

Persnickety
Persnickety
August 24, 2015 11:15 am

Dutchman said: “Trump couldn’t do any worse than Bush or Obama.”

I heard an awful lot of that in 2007-08 from RINOs who said Obama could not possibly be worse than W. Bush. They were wrong.

kokoda
kokoda
August 24, 2015 11:22 am

OK Stucky….Gov’t will grow under Trump.

And Gov’t didn’t grow under Bush, under Obama????

Tell me the candidate that you prefer that will not grow the gov’t. Then I will give your choice some serious thought.

Irelia
Irelia
August 24, 2015 11:24 am

“For all you knuckleheads bashing Trump, …. WTF is wrong with you?”

Check out Gary Johnson. The media and overlords want you to only know certain candidates exist..

kokoda
kokoda
August 24, 2015 11:36 am

Gary Johnson…NOPE; he is part of the political establishment (or stupid) as he supports the GloBull Warming (HOAX).

It is not my opinion – there is no scientific empirical evidence to support the outrageous fear-mongering claims of all the NGO’s (that receive gov’t funding); the IPCC; the Obama lies.

I certainly agree that the overlords give us the candidate – we have no choice.

Stucky
Stucky
August 24, 2015 11:58 am

“Tell me the candidate that you prefer that will not grow the gov’t. Then I will give your choice some serious thought.” ———– kokoda

There are no such candidates. They all suck ass.

So, one is forced to choose amongst the least of many evils. Voting for evil, even lessor evils, IS evil. It is immoral. You are voting for your own demise. I won’t be voting this election.

Back in PA Mike
Back in PA Mike
August 24, 2015 12:03 pm

Stucky, you forgot, he said Snowden is a traitor.

starfcker
starfcker
August 24, 2015 1:20 pm

Trump. Economic nationalist. The end.

starfcker
starfcker
August 24, 2015 1:21 pm

I like snowden. I think he is a patriot and a national hero. Trump is wrong on snowden. So what?

starfcker
starfcker
August 24, 2015 1:45 pm

Haven’t heard him talk about either. Know something I don’t?

Stucky
Stucky
August 24, 2015 1:56 pm

“We have to give strength and power back to the police. And you’re always going to have mistakes made. And you’re always going to have bad apples. But you can’t let that stop the fact that police have to regain some control of this tremendous crime wave and killing wave that’s happening in this country. ”
———— Donald Trump on the Bill O’Really show last week

Case closed.

Lysander
Lysander
August 24, 2015 2:00 pm

Okay, so Trump gets elected and makes the trains run on time, like Benito did, and implements a final solution to the illegal immigrant problem, like ‘Dolf didn’t because he was busy emigrating people out of Germany.

So what’s the worst that can happen after that? A World War? According to all my esteemed sources on the Internet, we are going to have that anyway. Is Trump going to make ‘MurikaFuckYeah! a fascist nation? Too late, it’s already in the works.

Look on the bright side. Some of unemployed can get jobs at the new concentration camps. And the rest of the unemployed will be in them. I don’t know about you, but I can be a tower guard, and I ain’t afraid of heights, neither. Plus I’m fat, and fat people generally look good in black. I hope I get a hat with a death’s head on it.

[This is sarcasm. people!]

Jimmy boy is your typical atheistic Hebrew. To him, and to all libtards, anyone who disagrees with them is Hitler. Remember, Jimmy admitted to voting for Bam-Bam TWICE. So that shows to me that although he doesn’t want a Hitler, he could be satisfied with a Stalin wannabe.

starfcker
starfcker
August 24, 2015 2:06 pm

Nice dodge jim. Nothing about the banks. Politico? The minority of americans he wsnted to wealth tax were the super rich. I think TARP was nesessary. I didn’t want to see the car companies die. Stucky, I like cops. Have fun, I gotta go back to work

Stucky
Stucky
August 24, 2015 2:14 pm

starfcker like copfuks and Trumpfuk.

Really, he should change his name to dumbfcker.

Bea Lever
Bea Lever
August 24, 2015 2:45 pm

Sounds like some of you guys have finally gotten on board the anti-Trump train with me and Admin. Starfcker is a hopeless case, he cannot be saved from himself.

Overthecliff
Overthecliff
August 24, 2015 3:03 pm

I love the way Trump sticks fingers in the establishments eyes. I love his political incorrectness. I love what he says about immigration, the border and anchor babies. I love his style,I pray he is for real but…..I fear he is not. Sticky is probably right, there aren’t any candidates to rescue the republic.

Westcoaster
Westcoaster
August 24, 2015 3:21 pm

@Dutchman: I agree that Trump is controlling the dialog and illegal immigration needs to be curbed and reversed. Problem is, that takes Congress and there are zero guarantees that Trump would have any patience at all as a leader to get things done in D.C.
Even worse would be the fascist hulk of a nation he would leave behind, unless of course he wound he being “President for life”, in other words, dictator.

dumbfcker
dumbfcker
August 24, 2015 3:22 pm

I’ve been watching and listening to this guy for 4-5 years, that’s why I feel confident he is not a fluke. It’s just time, sort of like reagan after nixon/ford/carter. Instead of dicing every microscopic position, (snowden) try to answer this. Who would be better right now? Do I hear crickets? Immigration and trade are what matter most. Right in this guys lane.

dumbfcker
dumbfcker
August 24, 2015 3:26 pm

Westy, your wrong. We already have the laws on the books. They just need to be enforced. No congress nesessary.

dumbfcker
dumbfcker
August 24, 2015 3:30 pm

Flash must be back, manipulating the up/down votes on this thread

NickelthroweR
NickelthroweR
August 24, 2015 3:31 pm

Greetings,

If you’d all be so kind, I’d love to chime in with my anarchist perspective – well, my anarcho-capitalist perspective.

Trump is probably the biggest statist of the lot. You can not do “big” things without a big bureaucracy behind you. After all, are those 20,000,000 illegal going to deport themselves? The same holds true with crime, gun control, the military, etc.

See, all these politicians pander about promising the moon but no one, say, other than Ron Paul offers less. Even a spoiler like Trump doesn’t dare speak about dismantling obviously failed departments like the depart of (sic) education or the B.I.A. because that would give them less power and power, in the end, is what these people want. I know Rick Perry mentioned such a thing but he is clearly drunk, high or both whenever he appears and just cant be taken seriously.

The underlying problem is the debt and bloated bureaucracy but both are the underpinnings of power in our current system.

Finally, to say that Trump is dumber than Hitler is probably true. No one hates fascists more than myself but I have a begrudging respect for that guys nerve and willpower. To have fought all 4 years on the Western Front in a unit that replaced itself 6x over; to return to Germany to put down two revolutions; to build a political organization literally from the ground up and then use that organization to kick the crap out of his neighbors deserves some respect.

Bathhouse Barry is far far beneath him in my book (though he would have made a great “partner” for Günther Röhm)

Persnickety
Persnickety
August 24, 2015 3:34 pm

@dumbfcker, a gigantic empire is flailing around without a head. This has happened a number of times in history and it has generally resulted in the break-up of the headless empire.

There may still be a very slim window for some miraculously wonderful candidate to show up – think of the brains of Ron Paul, the general sex appeal of JFK, the will of Pres. Eisenhower and the moral strength of Smedley Butler (as retired and when asked to become the nation’s military dictator – he said NO) – but I tend to think that the Tooth Fairy is more likely to appear, and absent this sort of miracle we’re going bad places then dissolution.

dumbfcker
dumbfcker
August 24, 2015 4:07 pm
Archie
Archie
August 24, 2015 5:41 pm

Stucky is correct. Voting for a lesser evil is still a mistake. I will not vote. Voting is an endorsement of the present system. If I could, I would with my bare hands choke the life out of the present system. So, no voting for me. Democracy is a stupid system. My vote equals the urine soaked bum down the street? Fuck that.

As for hitler, trump could hardly shine his shoes. The comparison of the two by the tedious kuntsler is absurd. Trump is a clown, a circus act, a fast talking buffoon. Hitler took a ravaged country, ruined by hyperinflation, demoralized, beset by communist agitators, and transformed it into an economic powerhouse and the most fearsome war machine the world has seen at least since roman times. Even mainstream historians like Niall ferguson admit as much.

I’ll say it again, we should have stayed out of that war. I hope Roosevelt, that piece of shit, is roasting over slow burning coals in hell for dragging us into that war.

Paul
Paul
August 24, 2015 6:16 pm

“If voting made any difference they wouldn’t let us do it.”

― Mark Twain

starfcker
starfcker
August 24, 2015 7:08 pm

We can argue lots of things. But think of the depravity in kunstlers BB sized brain. Worse than hitler. That’s saying a lot.

Anonymous
Anonymous
August 24, 2015 7:14 pm

Westcoaster,

It really doesn’t take Congress to control illegal immigration.

It just takes full implementation and enforcement of existing law.

Something Obama has actively prevented, and something that would easily be within Trump’s power as President if he is elected.

In fact, it is among the oath sworn duties of the President -any president- to do this.

VietVet
VietVet
August 25, 2015 5:14 pm

It only takes a single reality to put you into the correct position on this election.

They no longer have my consent. I will not participate.

VietVet
VietVet
August 25, 2015 5:17 pm

WHOPPER was right.

” The only way to win the game is to not play”