The difference is that we are not the same country we were 100, 50, or even 20 years ago. Look at Obama’s approval rating. It makes me think that this:
“A Reichstag scenario, with its dependence on an ill-informed, limitlessly gullible populace, simply won’t work in the millennial United States.”
Is an erroneous evaluation.
The other difference is the nature of Obama. Carter, Clinton, and the Bushes were all politicians. Obama is (to borrow Beck’s chalkboard) is a hard core communist ideologue who is in league with Ayers/Jones and company philosophically.
The Reichstag fire scenario is very plausible because after November, Obama will be the lamest of ducks. The question is, if he takes such a step will the American military be following the leaders of the CIC and suppressing the citizenry, or will the military coup envisioned be the actions of a patriotic military defending the constitution against its worst domestic enemy in history and removing him from office?
The officer corps (besides LTC Lakin) seem to have no problem disregarding their oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution, making the latter scenario very unlikely.