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Senator Harry Reid (Dem-Utah), when asked on a news program a couple of weeks ago to comment on the Tea Party and its long-term impact on the political scene, stated that the Tea Party was borne out of concern over the economy. He went on to state that it would lose its impact once the economy improves.
I think he is probably correct. Many who have been swayed to the extremism of the movement will fall away when jobs are plentiful.
However, let's just examine the worst case scenario. Let's say the economy remains stagnant for the next ten or fifteen years.
Well, we have an excellent lesson from Germany in what could happen. It was during the depression that Hitler began his rise to power.
People were out-of-work, they were destitute, they were hungry, they were downtrodden, many had minimal educations. They were the scourge of Europe because of their being blamed for starting World War I.
Hitler cleverly maneuvered his way to the top of the government, eventually declaring himself "dictator" for life.
In the beginning, he did indeed seem like a savior of the Middle Class, as he was able to get the economy stabilized and put people back to work.
But, all the time he was spouting his propaganda, playing upon the people's resentment at their perceived shoddy treatment at the hands of the French, the English and the Americans with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles to conclude World War I.
He whipped up a frenzy of nationalism that featured the extreme with Nazi Flags waving everywhere.  He stressed hatred of other races.  He formed his "Brown Troopers" to suppress pockets of resistance that included shooting down unarmed civilians.
He fostered a disdain of the educated who saw through his scam. They were systematically rounded up and either shot or sent to his "work" camps.
He so brainwashed an entire nation of people that they turned a blind eye when he began extrerminating Jews by the millions.
I see a correlation of the Tea Party enthusiasts and the far right to what Hitler did in Germany prior to World War I.
They have latched on to Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck much as the downtrodden Germans latched on to Hitler. They are looking for what they perceive to be a "savior".
They wave their flags and flount the extreme nationalism everywhere they appear.
Many now openly wear or carry weapons at public rallies as indicators of their intent to intimidate and shoot if someone dares challenge them.
The supreme irony is that they try to portray our current President as a Hitler-esque figure and his followers as "dirty Commies."
Either they are totally deluded, or this is the greatest exercise in trying to brainwash the American citizen that I have ever encountered.
Nonetheless, I submit to you that the handwriting is on the wall. If we, as concerned citizens do not speak up and educate, we could see a repeat of Germany right here on American soil.Â
