Part 1: Nazis and Republicans do not mix

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Nazis? I'll give a few that come to my mind: Hitler, World War II, The Holocaust, The Third Reich, The SS, and ethnic cleansing. There are a couple that I read recently that are new to me: The Nationalist Socialist Program and Positive Christianity. The only reason that I have come across these sites is because of my curiosity in why there are constant references between the Republic Party and The Nazis. I'll give examples here and here:



If you look it up online or just go to various liberal political blogs you will find plenty of remarks of comparing Bush and other republicans to Nazis. The reasons I see for these comparisons so far are because republicans are accused of being fascists, racists (homophobes as well), militaristic and nationalists. The reasons for using the comparison between Hitler and Bush seems to be solely on the shear hatred that people on the left have for him and there are references to his grandfather being connected to Nazi Germany. That is also including the other reasons above that are associated with all republicans or conservatives. The only one I will not respond to is the referece to his family connection. Do you take on the burden of your grandfather or even your father's sins? Why should he?

So to start off. What are the Nazis? They were the Nationalist Socialist German Workers Party. According to Wikipedia (which I love to use if you cannot already tell):

"The National Socialist program also contained a number of points that supported democracy and even called for wider democratic rights. These, like much of the program, lost their importance as the Party evolved, and were ignored by the Nazis after they rose to power".

I'll give an idea of what some of the 25 points were. All know that the party believed in the superiority of thier race and were not a fan of foriegners. Here are others...

"All citizens must have equal rights and obligations".

"Abolition of unearned (work and labour) incomes. Breaking of rent-slavery".

"In consideration of the monstrous sacrifice in property and blood that each war demands of the people personal enrichment through a war must be designated as a crime against the people. Therefore we demand the total confiscation of all war profits".

"We demand a division of profits of all heavy industries". "We demand an expansion on a large scale of old age welfare".

"The state is to be responsible for a fundamental reconstruction of our whole national education program, to enable every capable and industrious German to obtain higher education and subsequently introduction into leading positions. The plans of instruction of all educational institutions are to conform with the experiences of practical life. The comprehension of the concept of the State must be striven for by the school [Staatsbuergerkunde] as early as the beginning of understanding. We demand the education at the expense of the State of outstanding intellectually gifted children of poor parents without consideration of position or profession".

"The State is to care for the elevating national health by protecting the mother and child, by outlawing child-labor, by the encouragement of physical fitness, by means of the legal establishment of a gymnastic and sport obligation, by the utmost support of all organizations concerned with the physical instruction of the young".

"We demand freedom of religion for all religious denominations within the state so long as they do not endanger its existence or oppose the moral senses of the Germanic race. The Party as such advocates the standpoint of a positive Christianity without binding itself confessionally to any one denomination. It combats the Jewish-materialistic spirit within and around us, and is convinced that a lasting recovery of our nation can only succeed from within on the framework: common utility precedes individual utility".

Basically, you could take these points from any socialist platform. Germany was a democracy that optionally gave over to a socialist party. I like this explanation of the Nazis. Hitler was avidly against the use of tobacco and rose to power in support of the working class. He was for nationalization. In what way is this possibly conservative?

I'll split this one up into more than one post. I'm big on research and I couldn't in good conscience continue with any argument without some sort of backing. The next post I will continue on how some of the ideas of Nazi party are still alive today, but it is not with the conservative or religious right population. The reason... moral relativism. I'll update soon.