While Musk and his techno-nerds are busily dismantling agencies of the federal government that–among other things– keep planes in the air and food free from e coli, J.D. Vance is attacking America’s international alliances and giving aid and comfort to the neo-Nazis in Germany and elsewhere.
Heather Cox Richardson (among several others) recently reported on Vance’s shameful performance.
At the conference on Friday, February 14, Vice President J.D. Vance launched what The Guardian’s Patrick Wintour called “a brutal ideological assault” against Europe, attacking the values the United States used to share with Europe but which Vance and the other members of the Trump administration are now working to destroy.
Vance and MAGA Christian nationalists reject the principles of secular democracy and instead align with leaders like Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán. They claim that the equal rights central to democracy undermine nations by treating women and racial, religious, and gender minorities as equal to white Christian men. They want to see an end to the immigration that they believe weakens a nation’s people, and for government to reinforce traditional religious and patriarchal values.
Vance attacked current European values and warned that the crisis for the region was not external actors like Russia or China, but rather “the threat from within.” He accused Europe of censoring free speech, but it was clear—especially coming from the representative of a regime that has erased great swaths of public knowledge because it objects to words like “gender”—that what he really objected to was restrictions on the speech of far-right ideologues.
Vance followed his speech by throwing his support behind the neo-Nazi AfD, breaking protocol by refusing to meet with the German chancellor, and breaking a longstanding taboo by accepting a meeting with the leader of AfD.
According to The New Republic, “the United States of America is becoming part of a global fascist network.”
Trump called Vance’s speech “very brilliant.”
It’s time to call a Nazi a Nazi.
Vance is most certainly not “going rogue.” Musk’s neo-Nazi proclivities were obvious even before his “heil Hitler” salute–he turned Twitter into a cesspool of fascist, racist and anti-Semitic hate that would have earned plaudits from Der Fuhrur, and he has assembled a group of techie apparachicks who share his political orientation–whenever journalists investigate the social media trail left by of one of his operatives, they find horrifying–and unambiguous–evidence. For example, Marko Elez, who had access to the Treasury Department’s central payments system, has consistently advocated racism and eugenics. Musk has encouraged right-wing political movements in at least 18 countries.
Of course, racism has long been Trump’s defining feature.
Thanks primarily to America’s role in the Second World War, most of us are unaware that, historically, significant numbers of Americans have been Nazi sympathizers. (Our history classes–unlike those in Germany–have shied away from reporting accurately and completely about slavery, let alone the nation’s very substantial history of neo-Nazi ideology.)
Historians have reported on the significant “inspiration” that Hitler took from the United States.
When the Nazis set out to legally disenfranchise and discriminate against Jewish citizens, they weren’t just coming up with ideas out of thin air. They closely studied the laws of another country. According to James Q. Whitman, author of Hitler’s American Model, that country was the United States.
“America in the early 20th century was the leading racist jurisdiction in the world,” says Whitman, who is a professor at Yale Law School. “Nazi lawyers, as a result, were interested in, looked very closely at, [and] were ultimately influenced by American race law.”
While Jim Crow was a primary example, Hitler’s administration took additional lessons from the nation’s designations of Native Americans, Filipinos and other groups as non-citizens–“othering” those populations even though they lived in the U.S. or its territories. These models influenced the citizenship portion of the Nuremberg Laws, which stripped Jewish Germans of citizenship and re-classified them as “nationals.”
The Nazis adopted some parts of Jim Crow laws wholesale, especially America’s anti-miscegenation laws, which prohibited interracial marriages in 30 of 48 states. As the linked article notes, the desire to ban Jewish and Aryan intermarriages presented the Nazis with a dilemma: How would they tell who was Jewish and who was not? So the Nazis looked to America, and American jurisprudence on how to classify who belonged to which “race.”
Numerous scholars and pundits have pointed to the parallels between Trump II and Germany in the 30s. Fewer have noted the unsavory aspects of our own population’s history that are emerging once again to facilitate a new–and even more expansive– “final solution.”
We ignore that history and those parallels at our peril.
There is an interesting “what if?” novel entitled “Under Grey Skies” by Hugh Ashton. It postulates a link between Nazi Germany and the successfully seceded American Confederacy.
We, here in the U.S., have not only the antisemitism by the nation’s Nazis; never forget Joe McCarthyism and J. Edgar Hoover’s “a communist under every bush” dark days rising to the surface again. Trump, Musk, Vance, MAGAs, White Nationalism have “black listed” the Democratic party and any and all who dare to oppose them. The Republican’s long promised “trickle down” system has now been activated full force; it hasn’t seeped fully into our homes yet but with Musk having access to our most private information to use to destroy all in his path, our individual collapse will soon begin. The film of him dancing with the giant chainsaw at the CPAC shows he is as insane as Trump.
The book burning, the lies, the violence in our streets quickly and easily became accepted as the norm in this nation of accepting all “others” turned into accepting the evil as viable leaders.
“We ignore that history and those parallels at our peril.” We are now living in peril; we have ignored all history and parallels which we viewed as never becoming a way of life here…but here it is.
The old adage “Money can’t buy happiness.” is no longer applicable; the billionaires who bought this nation appear happy as pigs in slop in news films.
Isn’t Vance the idiot hypocrite who bad-mouthed Trump before he bent the knee … and bent over? He certainly defines the character of today’s Republican party: NONE!
Are we still and forever experiencing the consequences of our greatest sin, slavery? Is that culturally embedded bigotry lining up to once again destroy something … like our democracy? It still amazes me that 1% of the rich people in the old confederacy somehow managed to convince hundreds of thousands of poor white people to die in battle so they could maintain their wealth using slave labor. The obfuscation? State’s Rights. The truth? B.S.
Now we have our own right-wing creatures of hate dismantling our government and what have we found? Our rational elected officials stay up all night expounding humanitarian virtues, but the American Nazis don’t care. They’re not listening.
What will be OUR “what if” scenario in the coming months/years? I’ll be 83 next month, but will I be too old to be sent to a concentration camp? Will you? Will it come to that before somebody(s) steps up and does the right thing?
As mentioned the other day, just read Rudyard Kipling’s “The White Man’s Burden,” it was based on Filipinos at the time.
And yes, the concentration camps which basically designed as smaller reservations and copies of those reservations from the United States. Basically imprisoning groups of people in the open, more easily controlled and eliminated.
The Nazi program Leibnstrom which meant room to grow, and was actually based on the American “Manifest Destiny!” And back in the day, German exceptionalism was copied from American exceptionalism.
The ‘Lying Press’ was a copy by The American right of the German phrase “Lugenpresse.”
‘Eugenics’ was an English and American program to create stronger and more intellectual citizens and that would translate into the military also. This was copied by the Germans to make a strong so-called Aryan society, pure and powerful.
The Germans were actually afraid of the Jews because of their intellectual acuity in business and the law. They were afraid of black men because of their strengths and agility along with the ability to be intellectually charismatic. And the international Bible students who were undercutting the German Church which were teaching their false superiority dogma. And they were actually the first to reside in German concentration camps, identified by the purple triangle!
And then using German youth camps to brainwash the youngest into even turning in their parents! And many of these young ones were the little viruses that spread out across the planet to practice and spread The dogma of Aryan superiority.
Can you see the similarities? It’s an old dog with the same old tricks! There’s no denying it’s exactly the same thing, and these new devotees figure they can fix the problems of the past and make it an enduring fascism with so-called Aryans at the helm.
“It’s time to call a Nazi a Nazi.”
Sorry, Sheila, but it is really long past the time to use that word. Some of us tried to sound the alarm years ago only to be chastised for going against the “polite at any cost” crowd then holding their noses in the air as they pushed the “when they go low, we go high” cry that allowed them to hide from the reality of what was happening. All that high tone posturing has only allowed the Nazis to rise from the sewers and take over the country.
And that take over is right in your own backyard, as this past week Musk and his merry band of tech kids spent two days at the Finance Center here in Indy digging through files and records there. When he was confronted by a staff member about his not having top secret clearance he called Trump from that official’s office to get Trump to order staff to let him see the files. Those files included Veteran’s medical insurance files and records besides all of the military payments. Employees at the Finance Center expect layoffs next week, in particular the official who challenged Musk.
At this particular time in US history Defiance is a Virtue!
I agree and also see wholes here. We can’t “wait” and yet we seek A “Savior”. There is no Single Rescuer for all of us. Some are Stepping up and we need to Support them much more than we are. Senator Chris Murphy seeks my money, but $50 or even $500 won’t get at the monied interests in line with Fascism. It also makes many of us think we are doing enough. We need as Todd often says, not trust the Democrats. We also need to press. Locally with Democrats as well as with more radical causes. We need to support our young leaders who are coming out of anonymity and use what potential power we oldies have.
Our Work is a “progress”- not a “ bullet point “.
We’ve got both a lot to try- urgency there As well as needing resilience. Potlucks locally sharing Girl Scout cookies + formal organizing.
Law suits are necessary but we can’t wait on or count on the courts.
Enough said, B
Vance sure got under the skin of Germany’s Annalena Baerbock since she is threatening to sever ties with the US for abandoning Ukraine, which she calls a “liberal democracy.” Just a reminder, we utilized USAID, NED, and InterNews to plan a coup in Ukraine back in 2014. We overthrew the government, and Victoria Nuland installed a pro-Western leader, which gave Hunter Biden a highly-paid job that he wasn’t qualified for at one of the most corrupt energy companies in Europe. Annalena could point that out to the world instead.
She could also point out that Biden destroyed Germany’s multi-billion dollar energy investment with Russia, so Germany would have to buy expensive US gas. The destruction of Nord Stream pipelines was an act of terrorism and coercion and could even be considered an act of war against Germany and Russia. Apparently, Vance’s cold shoulder didn’t expect Germany’s leaders to hold the US accountable, and they still haven’t. Brussels is weak!
I guess she’s not that mad after all. She is acting tough before a major election in Germany where Trump/Musk/Vance have endorsed the Nazi wing.
I agree with Theresa; we are long past acknowledging the Nazis rising up in the US. Marx pointed out that during the end stages of capitalism, we can go down two paths: authoritarian regimes to protect the ruling oligarchies or socialism for the people. The Democratic Party condemned socialism during Trump 1.0. That should have been a significant clue that Democrats were NOT the oppositional party. They represent the oligarchy, which means the people must form their own opposition.
This is why the Democratic Party is struggling to respond to Trump 2.0. All their efforts to date are meek, if not downright pathetic. Schumer’s response was one of the most pathetic I’ve witnessed, but then Schiff’s “press conference” was ten times worse.
Europe is facing an immigration crisis (caused by US foreign policy) and struggling with years of dependency on the US government for protection and security. Europe’s leaders have been lapdogs of their oligarchy and the US oligarchs/MIC.
Trump and Musk’s idea of giving every working American a $5,000 refund from the savings DOGE is finding that the US government has wasted is brilliant. If they flip the Treasury into an open-source program, every American can be a journalist and critique the expenditures. I want to get my hands on defense spending.
Trump’s most recent move relative to removing military leaders is classic authoritarian – control the military and control the country. The civilian military has always been important. So I appreciate these articles but let’s talk strategy More demonstrations are needed opposing Trump. More phone calls to senators even bootlickers like Banks. More letters – snail mail – inundating Congress- particularly Republicans. More lawsuits to slow down Musk’s efforts and subpoena him to be examined under oath – if Congress won’t subpoena him with a subpoena duces decum – then get him in a federal court under oath to take off the hat and sunglasses. His puerile actions have to be called out. Given Trump’s treatment of Governor Mills and her resistance, he is going to become more discombobulated as was obvious at that gathering of governors. The sad thing was how the other governors cowered –
John Sorg,
‘Eugenics’ was an English and American program to create stronger and more intellectual citizens…”
Unfortunately, in the 1920s, eugenics was apparently embraced by Hoosiers.
The Indiana State Library has a wide interior concrete stairway with a barely-visible mural on the vertical face of each step. The library guide said its theme was a remnant of Indiana’s eugenics period, probably promoted by the KKK.
It sounds like Todd has drunk the MAGA kool-aid.
How Hitler did it.
Mein Kampf = Project 2025
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hW8y52Xd7D8
daleb, Todd is deeply into Kool-aid, he just changes flavors as the news dictates.
Todd, I really think you should run for office. Doesn’t matter which party you choose. Get your thoughts, analyses out there to the general public instead of just in this little blog. Let’s see if the general public can pay attention that long.
Anyone who knows history can’t possibly be surprised by any of these happenings. If one were to write a book named “Profiles in Cowardice”, it would be thousands of pages long. It’s really hard to believe that there aren’t even ten Republicans who have the guts to join with Democrats to defeat some of the more onerous policies that Orange Jesus (OJ) puts forward.
The latest excitement here in sunny southwest Florida is the proof that OJ isn’t racist. How could he be if he’s just chosen a Black man to be Florida’s next governor? Byron Donalds is so obsequious to OJ it seems that what is actually happening is that OJ is setting himself up to control his home state when he is no longer President.
Great wide-ranging European and domestic summary by Todd today.
The only information I would add, for which I’ve not been able to find corroboration, is that the Trump administration is considering repairing the Nord Stream, to Europe’s benefit next winter.
I’m not sure if this will please, or displease Frau Baerbock, or AfD party. The Brits, of course, oppose any move toward detente with Russia, but economically, the Bank of England is slipping fast, and becoming less and less relevant.
Pete:
per yesterday,, im from the big city looking thru a fence into the nodak/gordon kahl bunch.ive been here since 1987.after 5 + million logged miles in a truck, and touring the U.S. ive become numb to some and laugh at the rest. my opinion is based on life as it comes at me. since i prefer the company of fairly intelligent/aware folk, coming home to this travisty is not for the meek. though the country is full of red neck jerks justifying their life, im sitting back and looking at what the lack of any intrest inthe America democracy can become, theybare lazy,and spoilded after many gave all for their country.sure my writing here represents ,(kinda how i do my log book) the clown in a truck, my penmanship and commas be damn. you get the point. if your gonna talk to these fools who want to run down our country, ya gotta be on the same some what level.. no offense here, i really deeply respect those who write and comment on the ongoing issues we are dumped into. best wishes all, if ya gotta talk to these fools, look at them in the eye and do it. social media hides your true identity.. its fun to watch their mouths hanging open when ya easily dump on them,, thanks Sheila for the space and time, im not wasting it out here..
It’s going to take boots on the ground i.e. citizens in the streets, to save us. I will certainly support the February and March actions planned by 50501, but stocking up on Thursday or delayed buying on Saturday just so you buy nothing on Friday isn’t going to harm anyone. It is performative, not substantive.
When Republican officials face a chanting mass of people every time they step outside, they are much more likely to take us seriously.
Add lawsuits, lawsuits and more lawsuits to that, too.
The gross hypocrisy, and absolute immorality of these racist pigs who will accept a blood transfusion from a woman, Jew, or any person of color while denying said women, Jews, or persons of color the same human rights that they demand for themselves is astounding! (Wish that I was Thorsten Veblen because I am sure that there is a more powerful word than “astounding.”)
Governor Mills is to be applauded for her standing up to Trump to his face. That was a “Profile in Courage” worthy of John F. Kennedy.
See Heather Cox Richardson today for her quotations from Governor J. B. Pritzker of Illinois in his State of the State Address on Wed. the 19th.
There are a few people starting to stand up on both sides of the aisle.
My Dad died this past April and he was a 100% disabled Vietnam Veteran. He recieved the silver star for gallantry in battle and two purple hearts for his wounds. I find myself thinking “what would Dad do?” And all that keeps coming to mind is “Don’t give up.” There are more good people in the world than bad ones. And if we join together even across continents we are amazingly strong. No matter how much money/power a few people have. We need people to stop being afraid or fearful to come forward and realize they have a voice in this too.
Theresa Bowers, where are you finding information about the Finance Center? Please provide any reporting you have found. Thank you.
One of the smartest things our society evolved to jack smith is woke and dei because they are the personification of being who we each are which is diverse. You be you and I’ll do the same for me. Our lives don’t share much of the same story and our DNA and the placetime we were born in is just as unique. Humans cover all spectrums.
I was born into a placetime like you are living in now and it didn’t suit me then or now so I tried some other placetimes on until I found a fit. Several fits in fact.
My advice to everyone is to live free and try things and learn as you go. I refuse to live otherwise. To me the consequences only go up if I didn’t live free.
MTV (Musk, Trump, Vance + sycophants Johnson & Roberts) sow chaos to consolidate power through the big lie strategy but I’m not going to live their lies or any other.
I’m late to the dance but want to say something since both my parents served in US army in WWll. Mom’s first nursing job out of St. Vincent’s was working in an evacuation hospital in Lenz Austria; they stabilized injured US soldiers so they could be sent home. Dad having earned an engineering degree was placed in Sherman Tank in France figuring trajectories on the gun. He earned two bronze medals for the battles he was in. They both risked their lives for our Democracy and I’m glad they are no longer here to see these fools who are trying to overthrow U.S. Democracy. Magas don’t have half the courage they had.
The cowardly Friday night news dump reported the firing of the head of the joint chiefs of staff and others. They were replaced by Trump and Hegseths sycophants. Also, the lawyers for the military courts were fired. Looks like they’re trying to take military out of civilian direction and take final steps to fascism.
I’m heartened by all the grass root protests and Democratic officials speaking truth to power. Governor Mills of Maine gave it right back to trump when he called her out at Governers meeting in the White House for not following his DEI directives in her state. She told him that Maine is following the law, which trump replied that we(he) are/is the law! Now he’s having Maine investigated.
Anything that any American can do within their lives to speak up, resist and call out their lies and corruption is vital. I was impressed by the two young women who interrupted the proud boys being interviewed praising 1/6 outside the Capitol in Washington, by blowing whistles. It was reported, the head of the proud boys who was pardoned by trump, assaulted one of the women and was arrested.
Most of Americans don’t want to turn over our Democracy and rule of law to incompetent thugs guided by their crime boss. And what’s with Musk carrying his four-year-old son around on his shoulders to adult only functions, like an impaired person takes along their service dog? The poor kid.