# Bush, Hitler, Godwin, and Assholes Like Me **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 14, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710 "2003-06-14T00:32:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/1 "2003-06-14T00:32:59Z")
Okay, I’ve already torn up [this interesting Great Debates thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=189647&pagenumber=2) by invoking [Godwin’s Law](http://info.astrian.net/jargon/terms/g/Godwin_s_Law.html). In a no-doubt fruitless effort to preserve that thread, I will instead boldly forge ahead and lose this argument with its very premise. You can also take this opportunity to call me an asshole. Ahem. There are some interesting parallels between the current administration and that of Hitler Hitler Hitler. As I’ve already asserted, in the early 1930s, Erhard Milch, then the head of Lufthansa, allowed Hitler to charter a Lufthansa plane and essentially fly for free–on credit–while campaigning for the Nazi party. In 2000, during the post-election meltdown in Florida, Enron and Halliburton also allowed Bush campaign officials to use corporate jets on “credit.” By “credit,” I mean that the Bush campaign paid back a portion of the maybe $150,000 in campaign donations employees of those two companies gave to the Bush campaign. Paid it back to Enron and Halliburton, that is. The Enron guys get paid back by the tax cuts on their unemployment benefits, I suppose. Oh, wait. There aren’t any tax cuts on unemployment benefits, are there? The comparison ends there, because unlike Bush, Hitler was overwhelmingly elected as Chancellor in 1933. Then again, the National Socialists were still a plurality party, garnering only [43% of the total vote](http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/works/1930-ger/elect.htm). So while Hitler was elected by a greater margin–well, elected by a margin of the popular vote, at least–Bush was arguably more popular than Hitler , but less popular than Al Gore. Oh, but there’s more. Well, not really, but since I’m doing this stupid thing, I have to reeeeaaaaach a little. For example: [ul][li]George H. W. Bush was born on June 12, 1924, while Hitler was in prison! _Coincidence? You decide._[/li] [li] Hitler , was (okay, I’m guessing here) the first elected Chancellor to be jailed before his election. George W. Bush spent part of a night in jail for a DWI, thus becoming the first jailed President. _Coincidence? You decide._[/li] [li] While in prison, Hitler dictated _Mein Kampf_ to Rudolf Hess. George Bush may well have written a check. _Coincidence? You decide._[/li] [li] Both “Adolf Hitler” and “George W. Bush” are spelled with eleven letters, if you don’t count the period, which I don’t think is a letter. _Coincidence? You decide._[/ul][/li] Okay, that’s about enough. Look, I’m sorry I fucked up that interesting thread which asks real questions about why this administration contrived a war we didn’t obviously have to fight. But I’m still an asshole, so fire away. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/2 "2003-06-14T00:46:04Z")
Most idiotic post I’ve ever seen you make, as the OP of a thread no less. I’m disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/3 "2003-06-14T00:57:44Z")
Ah, you’ve seen behind my genius, **Monster104**. No, there I go lying again. Look, I _can’t stand it_ when someone fucks up a perfectly good thread by randomly dropping the H-bomb. So when I do it myself, I feel I need to try to fix things. It’s stupid, but I’m hoping that maybe if I confine the stupidity here, something better than my contribution will survive elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/4 "2003-06-14T01:09:24Z")
Hey, let the man be contrite. Then move on and rejoin the fight, buddy. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/5 "2003-06-14T01:17:10Z")
Nessie or Nazi? The ball’s in your court… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/6 "2003-06-14T01:31:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monster104 \* > \*\*Most idiotic post I’ve ever seen you make, as the OP of a thread no less. > > I’m disappointed. \*\* Whoosie. He’s pitting himself for fucking up a GD thread. It’s really meta-idiotic. Haj ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/7 "2003-06-14T01:46:57Z")
I might would maybe. But I think you might like it. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/8 "2003-06-14T02:53:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sofa King \* > Look, I _can’t stand it_ when someone fucks up a perfectly good thread by randomly dropping the H-bomb. So when I do it myself, I feel I need to try to fix things. All this self loathing over what wasn’t even the best gratuitous hijack of the day ? > [@](#): > > Iraq was killing people right up to the beginning of the war. Any peace activists who helped delay the start of the war contributed to a greater number of executions. [link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&postid=3561676) If you wish to be excoriated _properly_ you need to take some time to learn from the **master** and then, and only then, come whimpering into the pit like an overbeaten dog begging for a swat on the nose for your sins. You _cannot_ achieve the desired absence of mercy with such measly efforts as you have made thus far. If you want to be an Asshole, you must **Try Harder**. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/9 "2003-06-14T03:16:03Z")
If GW is like Hitler, where are the cool Republican uniforms, ala SS black? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Svinlesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/22d042/32.png) [@Mr.Svinlesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Svinlesha)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/10 "2003-06-14T09:43:04Z")
> [@](#): > > _If GW is like Hitler, where are the cool Republican uniforms, ala SS black?_ Yeah, I agree. Fashion is everything. P.S. I thought it was pretty funny, **Sofa**. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/11 "2003-06-14T16:32:14Z")
Sofa King is normally quite witty (and a snappy dresser as well) and at some point the nested ironies and archly cantilevered balances of this ambitious post just got out of hand and well… not all projects work out. Not every post of this nature is going to be a winner. It’s happened to the best of us and we should admire him for at least trying. God Bless you Sofa King. Sofa King = So faking - _Coincidence? You decide._ ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/12 "2003-06-14T19:39:33Z")
Reading the OP made me realize another set of “coincidences.” George W. Bush = Eleven letters. Genghis Khan = Eleven letters. Genghis Khan = Sacked Nishapur and built a pyramid of human skulls. George W. Bush = While eating a sack of pretzels, choked and bruised his skull. Genghis Khan = Led an army of savage thugs, battle-hardened by a life on the brutal, barren Mongolian Steppes. George W. Bush = Governor of Texas. I think this is clearly more than mere coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/13 "2003-06-14T19:43:39Z")
I thought it was a funny OP, too. But then again, I’m incredibly stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Doc\_Nickel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@Doc\_Nickel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doc_Nickel)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/14 "2003-06-14T20:46:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*Genghis Khan = Led an army of savage thugs, battle-hardened by a life on the brutal, barren Mongolian Steppes. > George W. Bush = Governor of Texas. \*\* -Hey, I’ve lived in Texas. That comparison isn’t too far off the mark. There is obviously more than mere _coincidence_. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/15 "2003-06-16T00:27:32Z")
And ones like [**ChaosGod**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=189647&pagenumber=4) ---
**Author:** ![hardcore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@hardcore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardcore)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/16 "2003-06-16T00:55:47Z")
**SimonX** , perhaps I am misreading your intention in this thread and the one you linked to, but it appears from my vantage point that **BeatenMan** invoked Godwin’s law, NOT **ChaosGod** , though he did continue the comparison. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/17 "2003-06-16T22:28:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monster104 \* > **Most idiotic post I’ve ever seen you make** Well now, _that’s_ ironic… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-hitler-godwin-and-assholes-like-me/181710/18 "2003-06-16T22:46:53Z")
I discovered an interesting co-incidence from this very thread! George H.W. Bush and I have the same birthday Not sure I’m at all happy about that, but co-incidences happen. Enjoy, Steven