The New Big Lie

"(The Obama health-care plan) is a Hitler-like policy."
Rush Limbaugh (1)

"President Obama has proposed legislation...for which the Hitler regime was condemned in the post-World War II trials."
Lyndon H LaRouche (2)

When you hear people raving that Obama is the new Hitler at town-hall meetings devoted to proposed health-care legislation, and you see pictures of the President doctored-up with a Hitler-style moustache being flaunted by raucous protesters, you might be tempted to conclude that the Republicans must be getting desperate. But you would be wrong!

Although many Republicans have loudly protested the proposed laws, the people using the Nazi connection are primarily followers of conspiracy-monger Lyndon H LaRouche, one of the strangest men in American political history.

LaRouche, born in New Hampshire in 1922, was raised as a Quaker. He served as a conscientious objector (CO) in the early years of World War II, but transferred to the Army in 1944. After the War, LaRouche joined the Trotskyist Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and became a leader of one faction. Ironically, he advocated a communist revolution while working as a management consultant in Manhattan.

After a break with SWP, he founded the US Labor Party and ran for President of the United States on its ticket in 1976, and garnered a measly 40,000 votes nationwide. He has sought the Democratic nomination for President in nearly every election since then, never taking even a quarter of the primary vote in any state. (His peak was 22% in Lousiana in 2000 against Vice President Al Gore.)

Although no longer a communist, LaRouche remains an authoritarian and a devotee of numerous conspiracy theories, including a unique view that Zionism is a front for British imperialism. In 1988 LaRouche was convicted of income tax fraud, and sent to prison for five years. After his parole, he resumed running for office (3). Millions of tax dollars have been spent on his perennial presidential campaigns, thanks to our generous public-financing laws.

Although never capable of winning public office, LaRouche has enough followers and money to disrupt town-hall meetings all over this country. For an 86-year old ex-con, not to mention ex-communist, this is truly remarkable. Sure he is a crank, but a very cunning and prosperous one!

We were warned during the campaign that Obama was a "socialist," but only recently has he been identified as a "national socialist" or Nazi. (4) There is no hope that rational dialogue can affect those imbeciles who believe this crap. Yet it is regrettable that Republicans and other conservatives, who have legitimate objections to Obama's policies, may be unfairly lumped with the crackpot LaRouchians in the public mind.

I would urge recognized Republican leaders, such as Senator John McCain, to clearly disassociate themselves and their party from Limbaugh, LaRouche and anyone else who likens Obama to Hitler. Yes, we should debate the proposed health-care plan vigorously, but it should be done civilly, without resort to name-calling or lies.
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(1) Leonard Pitts in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Aug. 20, 2009, page 11A.

(2) Executive Intelligence Review, July 31. 2009. (LaRouche's newsletter)

(3) Wikipedia biography.

(4) Although the term "socialist" is part of "national socialist" ( German Nazionalsozialist, from which Nazi comes), the Nazi Party did not advocate government seizure of property from Aryans (non-Jews), as did traditional socialists.

Wisconsin Dems After Doyle

Now that Wisconsin Democratic Governor Jim Doyle has declined to seek re-election in 2010, speculation begins about who will win the 2010 Democratic Primary for Governor.

The most obvious answer is Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, who was elected with Doyle in 2002 and has served loyally under his leadership ever since. She is best known as an activist for women's issues, especially the role of women in establishing new businesses. If Doyle leaves office before September, 2010, (most likely to accept a federal appointment) Lawton would also be the incumbent Governor. At this point, the nomination should be considered hers to lose.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, now recovering from a beating with a metal pipe (1), ran for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2002, and finished second to Doyle. (2) I believe he still would like to become Governor of Wisconsin, but would be hesitant to run unless circumstances were highly favorable for him. In the unlikely event that Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk runs again (3), the women's vote would be split, and the chances for Barrett would be good. Barrett has until next June to decide whether to jump into the race, and my bet is that he will wait until then to announce.
Although he has valuable executive experience as Mayor of Milwaukee, his five years in the office have been unremarkable. Voters from other parts of the State are not known to be enamored with Milwaukee, which may be why few Milwaukee officials win statewide elections. (4)

Secretary of State Douglas LaFollette could be a potent contender, if only because his name is well-known. LaFollette, a distant relative of the Progressive governor and senator, was elected Secretary of State in 1974 after losing a close race for the Democratic nomination for congress in the Racine area to Les Aspin, who went on to become US Secretary of Defense.
LaFollette won a tough primary for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor in 1978, but the ticket lost the general election. For LaFollette, now 67 years old, 2010 may be the last chance to move up from the nearly powerless job he has held for almost thirty years. I think he will go for it.

The media have mentioned US Rep. Ron Kind and State Senator Jon Erpenbach as other possible contenders; no doubt there will be others. But none of the other prospects has ever run for statewide office, and I doubt that any of them can beat either Lawton or LaFollette.
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(1) Although entitled to police protection at all times, Barrett declined to have an officer accompany him and his daughters to State Fair.

(2) Well before the 2002 primary I personally urged Barrett to seek the Democratic nomination for Attorney General, rather than run against Atty. Gen. Jim Doyle, who had already won two statewide elections. He replied that he wanted to be Governor, not Attorney General, and would take his chances.

(3) She ran for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2002 and came in third, then was nominated for Attorney General in 2006 (over incumbent Peggy Lautenschlager), but lost the general election.

(4) Senator Herb Kohl lives in Milwaukee, but has never held office in the City. Acting Governor Martin J Schreiber was also a Milwaukeean, but lost his bid for a full term as Governor in 1978 to Lee Dreyfus. (Dreyfus also was from Milwaukee, but had lived in Stevens Point for many years before running for Governor.)