Could Donald Trump be the next Hitler?

[Destinysdaughter]

I pray to God he doesn't get elected as the next president but after just watching the C4 documentary about him, I fear for the future of the USA and consequently the world. Hitler was once a joke but then economic conditions changed and people wanted answers and Hitler was able to blame much of Germany's ills on the Jews much like Trump is doing with Mexicans, Muslims etc. His supporters seen equally fanatical and not open to any kind of rational debate. It really fucking scares me, the world seems to becoming much more intolerant and if economic conditions deteriorate further I worry about what will happen. Please do tell me IABU but I feel bloody uneasy about this...

Lois tis true.

Claig is an acronym for Computer language activated invective generator.

caroldecker - no - the OP has not lost anything by her thread title.

No, Putin is not up for election. I'm not sure I understand why you ask?

I wrote my thread title very carefully as both Trump's tactics of scaremongering and the fragile economic climate ( which could yet get worse) are not so dissimilar from the situation in the thirties. It seems like the whole world is becoming more right wing and polarised. Wristbands for asylum seekers, the Danish Gvt passing a law to confiscate assets from refugees, the rise of the far right in France, Poland, Hungary etc? If DT becomes president of the USA, then I fear for us all.

I wrote my thread title very carefully as both Trump's tactics of scaremongering and the fragile economic climate ( which could yet get worse) are not so dissimilar from the situation in the thirties.

I agree the (very remote) possibility of a Trump victory is a worrying one in itself, but the whole Hitler thing is taking an incredibly superficial historical analogy and stretching it beyond breaking point.

People don't win in the US by appealing to the "working class." Very few people in the US consider themselves working class. Most people consider themselves some part of the middle class; that's why politicians often talk about helping the middle class. Class exists in the US, of course, but it is very different than in the UK.

He is a scary individual. I can't see why claig has such an attraction to the man.

I see Russia have fallen out with Germany as well as us this week.

It's not looking good.

Trump is an utter arse. He would be the most disastrous US President ever.

I truly hope that most Americans are not tempted to vote for him as President.

The very thought of him in the White House is horrifying.

I have heard of the golf course he has been bullying Scots about. Isn't it around Aberdeen? His behaviour there wouldn't bode well for how he might conduct his foreign policy if elected.

I hope he doesn't even get the nomination, but fear the possibility that he might.

His first one was in Aberdeen. He also now owns Turnberry.

His mother was Scottish, from Lewis.

Well looks like I'm not the only one to think this...

m.huffpost.com/us/entry/john-kasich-donald-trump-nazis_us_

"The 60-second spot, titled "Trump's Dangerous Rhetoric," features retired Air Force Col. Tom Moe, a prisoner of war in Vietnam, speaking at an event before Trump's campaign stop Monday evening in Columbus. Moe paraphrases Protestant pastor Martin Niemöller, who spoke out publicly against the Nazi regime and spent years in Nazi concentration camps, as images of Trump's controversial rhetoric flash on screen.

"You might not care if Donald Trump says Muslims must register with the government, because you're not one. And you might not care if Donald Trump says he's going to round up all the Hispanic immigrants, because you're not one. And you might not care if Donald Trump says it's OK to rough up black protesters, because you're not one," Moe says in the video.

"And you might not care that Donald Trump wants to suppress journalists, because you're not one. But think about this. If he keeps going and he actually becomes president, he might just get around to you, and you better hope that's there someone left to help you," he adds."

I don't think he has a chance of even being nominated for president. He doesn't seem that popular to me. Most people here see him as a joke as far as I can tell.

All of the Republicans I know (and I know a lot, living in the US Deep South) dislike him and many think he is a joke. But if his nomination makes it easier for my woman to win, then it's fine with me. Actually, I don't mean that; it would be bad for the US for him to be the nominee, but worse if the Republicans nominate someone who could more easily beat Hillary.

Here's his latest shenanigans:

money.cnn.com/2016/01/26/media/donald-trump-poll-debate-fox/index.html

I'm an American and he scares the shit out of me. Yes, he's a fucking idiot, but he's also very good at appealing to certain segments of the voting population. He can be charming and manipulative. He's good at instilling fear. He's good at making his followers believe that they are being disenfranchised by 'the others'. That they deserve 'more' and that the 'others' are not only stopping them getting it, 'they' are getting it instead of them. That they must find a way to get rid of the 'others'. And that people who oppose him are not 'true Americans'.

Who does that sound like to you?

Most of Trumps followers are working class people who lost jobs, money, and homes during the 2008 economic crash and have never gotten completely back on their feet. Trump is promising his 'people' the moon and stars. What they don't realize is that it's Trump and his kind who were behind the crash in the first place. They're buying his shit about being 'one of us' when in reality he's 'one of them'. Trump plays them like a fiddle at a square dance.

And for those who say he will never be elected, people said the same thing about George W Bush. Shoot, back in the '60s, many people said Kennedy would never be elected because he was Catholic. There are other Presidents of whom was said 'Oh, he'll never get elected'. Luckily, none of them have ruined the country. I'm afraid the same thing cannot be said of Trump. He's a megalomaniacal egomaniac. Again, sound like anyone you know?

addendum; the other half of Trump's followers are the Remoras to his Shark. They're his cronies and other 1%ers who are seeing an unbelievable opportunity for corruption and profit.

I'm on several non political FB pages, and on several of them the Trumpites will appear spouting nonsense - and frightening nonsense at that. Our vicar commented that he seems a bit of an odd chap, and got a load of "he's an American for Americans" and what a good guy he is. So, I fear there are a lot out there that like him. However - on a lighter note -

Acrossthepond, I live in the US and I agree with a lot of what you say but not this

Luckily, none of them have ruined the country.

Because are we sure about this? More and more I think the Bush/chaney decision to invade iraq might be the nadir of US foreign policy and a turning point for american greatness. I vehemently opposed both (I had a friend who taught me to call my congressperson/senator/and the white house every week to leave a message that opposed an invasion of iraq) but I wish I had done more.

I thought Trump was a joke up until now. I sincerely hope he is an unelectable joke. But I am no longer certain. even if he fails completely in the election. if he gets the nomination it is scary. Romney, McCain were all highly respectable candidates with real public service records/understanding of government behind them. I wouldn't have voted for them but I had no problem respecting someone who did. But Trump ....

Acrossthepond who does that sound like to you exactly!

I agree wholeheartedly canyou.

The most bizarre thing to me is that he has support among Christian evangelicals. He is a thrice-married owner of gambling resorts who has no religious identity at all that is discernible. That should be anathema to them.

Canyou you are right, Bush/Cheney ruined what respect there was left for our country and gave us a reputation as oil hungry imperialists. But I don't think they actually ruined the country itself in the same way Trump would. Not only would he make us a nation of 'have plenties' and 'have nothings' by virtually eliminating the middle class, his ego and ignorance of foreign policy will end up getting us in a war that will make Iraq look like a Sunday School picnic.

I'm only half joking when I say that I'm planning a run for the Canadian border before Canada 'builds a fence and makes the US pay for it' if Trump gets elected.

The rise of fascism has been on the cards since the start of the financial crisis. All it takes is a megalomanic to be elected and there will be real trouble. Trump does seem to fit the bill on that score.

I am hoping Bloomberg decides to go for it. I think he could stand against Trump and win but its down to if he wants to. I don't think he does. Also, Bloomberg does not have a great track record in terms of his role of Mayor NYC. He killed teaching plus his policies were very much geared to the elite.

Trump still fascinates me in that he is the only Republican who isn't a bible basher, he is not pro-abortion and he is the front runner in the poles. Sadly this is progress for the GOP!

As for HC..... I am not sure if she is the right person for the job. She has made some simple, fundamental mistakes. Her standing by her H is a problem for me. If my DH had an affair with an intern I would leave him for the fact that he had taken advantage of a young girl who didn't know any better. BC knew better and took advantage of many women, interns as well as employees such as Paula Jones. She did a great job with healthcare back in the day but her term as Secretary of State was woeful (although I give her the benefit of the doubt as Obama stitched her up).

As for worst presidents, I think Obama can take that title for his piss poor management of the economy and healthcare reform along with Bush over his decision to go in Iraq. The obamacare deal is a nightmare in high cost areas like the one where I live. There are a lot of families who do not have coverage because they can't afford it. Apparently in NYC an income of $100k a year is considered high! It isn't high at all. A family (2 adults, 1 child) on that income is living pay period to pay period and every single penny counts. There certainly isn't room in the budget for $10k a year on healthcare costs.

Now Putin.... I think we have our next Hitler/Stalin right there.

I struggle to understand how someone so deeply unpleasant can be so popular. The simplistic solutions he offers obviously have a certain appeal to people feeling disempowered, but why does anyone want to elect a disrespectful bully?

Easter Take a look at the other Republican candidates. That is how.... The pickings are slim.

He's not going to be elected president, because he's incredibly unpopular with voters who identify as independent or democrat, and he's not even that popular with republicans.

His supporters are just very noisy, and he gets a lot of press because clowns and car crashes generate clicks and advertising revenue.

This is a good summary of why there is almost no danger of Trump getting anywhere near the white house:

fivethirtyeight.com/features/donald-trump-is-really-unpopular-with-general-election-voters/