Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Ted Cruz and the Coming (Republican) Götterdämmerung

On Sen. Ted Cruz holding his filibluster (thank you for that one, Elaine, friend of Nick).

Cruz quoted:

You got in the 1940s Nazi Germany. Look, we saw in Britain, Neville Chamberlain who told the British people, accept the Nazis. Yes, they'll dominate the continent of Europe, but that's not our problem.

Let's appease them.  Why? Because it can't be done! We can't possibly stand against them.

Memo to Sen. Cruise:

Please read a history book. At least one history book. Please do so before opening your mouth again. You are embarrassing yourself and the Republican Party, in front of anyone who knows any facts about the origins of World War II.

End memo, begin commentary.

Egregious Error Number One. Neville Chamberlain never said that anyone should put up with the Nazis dominating Europe.

All that Neville Chamberlain actually said was, we will let Hitler have Czechoslovakia in return for his  promise to leave the rest of Europe alone. Yes, that's right. His appeasement consisted only of permitting Hitler to take over one small country in return for promising to leave the rest of Europe free.

Of course, Chamberlain was a fool to trust Hitler, and sacrificing Czech freedom in order to protect the rest of Europe was not an honorable act. But not only did he not say the things that you say he did, he said the opposite. He said we must oppose Hitler if he dares to attack Poland.

You see, Senator, England did not declare war under Winston Churchill. England declared war under Neville Chamberlain. The fact that Chamberlain had not stood up to Hitler earlier caused his government to fall and then, after the war had started, Churchill took the helm.

I will say that again, please read this sentence slowly and carefully at least 12 times before you open your mouth again. The declaration of war against Nazi Germany was made by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. Neville Chamberlain stood up to the Nazis as soon as he realized they were breaking their treaty agreement.

He never said, he never believed, that England should not stand up to Germany. He did believe that what happened in Europe was England's problem. I suppose it's convenient to apply your nasty smears to a dead man, but there are those of us who believe in history and facts and reality and who think that, since he can't speak for himself, we will speak for Mr. Chamberlain. Foolishly trusting? Undeniably! But the rest of what you said is outright fabrication;  a despicable smear against a foolish, but very courageous man.

Unless, of course, it is simply unforgivable ignorance.

Egregious Error Number Two.  When the Nazi leaders were put on trial for war crimes and eventually hung for said crimes, they were never accused of committing the horrific war crime of providing medical insurance for their conquered subjects.  International law does not recognize providing medical care to individuals as a war crime. In fact, it does not regarded it as any kind of crime.

There are a number of possible explanations for your recent bizarre conduct. I do not believe that you are experiencing delirium tremens, or that you are severely mentally ill. No, I think you know exactly what you were doing. I think you are the perfect example of a demagogue. You have replaced Karl Rove as the new Demosthenes. And, as I pointed out when I made that comparison with Rove, I mean the Demosthenes who is despised as an utterly manipulative greedy abuser of his own clients. The one who is accused of having betrayed his country by forcing upon them a false and pointless war which caused horrific destruction...and of doing so because he believed that he could loot the ruins to make political gain.

On the other hand, I must admit there was a very positive side your presentation and other recent antics. When the Democratic extremists were in power, I busily bashed away at their foolishness and pretensions. Being strictly neutral, I am doing so now against the Republican extremists. And I must say, there is no doubt in my mind that your actions are seriously injuring the possibility that the radical extremists of the Republican Party will remain in power in the Congress for much longer. Some Republican politicians and strategists are even beginning to think that people like you will cost Republicans control of the House! This was unthinkable just a couple of months ago.

So, please permit me to say, don't take my advice. No, I prefer you to keep on trucking! Good work!  Well done!  Please do more of the same!

The American people, the Democratic Party, Independents and Moderates everywhere, all want you to keep opening your mouth and shooting yourself...not in your political foot, but in your party's political heart.

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