Never Fight a Land War in Asia: A Man of the (Evil) People

A Man of the People — Evil People

Adolph Hitler: Absolute Power Means Never Having to say You're Sorry

Hitler ambitiously rose in his party's ranks. While some opposed him, wary of his extreme rhetoric, his ability to raise large donations from corporate sponsors made him indispensable to the party. He was never short of opponents but always managed to be one move ahead of them. He used his talent for public speaking, one of the greatest such talents in history, to win over crowds an individuals alike. He lacked the refinement of a well-educated man and this lead people to woefully underestimate him. Never favored by chance, Hitler used his extraordinary political skills to manufacture his own opportunities.

George W. Bush: Accessories Sold Separately

Experience endowed George W. Bush with the leadership skills he's ably demonstrated in the same way that experience endows a sea lion with the arithmetic skills it demonstrates by clapping out answers at the aquarium show.

Even the most jaded cynic has to believe that the Republican leadership cares too much about its country to let George W. Bush run it. Of course they do — George W. Bush is just packaging.

Strong leaders incite fierce opposition; only a corresponding depth of ambition can overcome opposition like that. Unfortunately, this ambition is often the leader's undoing. The example of Hitler is obvious, but it was also true of Fascism, American Version: Nixon.

After the Nixon debacle, the Republicans tried Reagan: an affable old man who was strict and conservative, but in the loving manner of a good father. While Nixon got away with a lot, the men in the shadows behind Reagan (like North, Secord, and Poindexter) committed much more brazen betrayals of the public trust. Many were driven to question the sanity of the party that trotted Bonzo and Dubya out as their political point man, much as the Trojans probably questioned the sanity of the Greeks who had made the unprecedented gesture of leaving the victors a gift in the form of this cool giant horse.

Contact:
Winston Smith