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Regarding Nazi Germany and social welfare...it is easy to forget the fact that Nazi is a bastardization of National Socialist. Such institutions as the Winterhilf (Winter help) money drives, the KdF holiday camps and even the VW were examples of the NSDAP (National Sozialisten Deutsches Arbeites Partie - National Socialist German Workers Party) social welfare system. Once Hitler was in power, money was made available to mothers, the elderly, war veterans and the sick. (Granted, the mentally and physically challenged were liquidated...a practice that did not end until AFTER the war...but that is another story.) Remember, Nazism and Communism may be right and left wing, but if you look at in a circular view, they meet in totalitarianism.
America becoming fascist? It is genuinely becoming insular, xenophobic and has a tendency to strike out violently. However, I feel it does have a long way to go before it reaches the level of Hitler's Germany, Franco's Spain or Mussolini's Italy. I would be careful, though - if Bush doesn't get the brakes put on him soon, the world may lose what little respect it has for his administration.
The good thing is America has a wise electorate...I doubt they would let it happen.
Mind you, that is what many Germans said before the election of 1933...
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Workers of the world, UNITE! You have nothing to lose but your silly uniforms and paper hats!!
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