Enabling Act of March 23, 1933
This is Hitler's speech to the German congress for that act. It is similar to Obama's speech.
"By its decision to carry out the political and moral cleansing of our public life, the Government is creating and securing the conditions for a really deep and inner religious life. The advantages for the individual which may be derived from compromises with atheistic organizations do not compare in any way with the consequences which are visible in the destruction of our common religious and ethical values. The national Government sees in both Christian denominations the most important factor for the maintenance of our society. It will observe the agreements drawn up between the Churches and the provinces; their rights will not be touched. The Government, however, hopes and expects that the task of national and ethical renewal of our people, which it has set itself, will receive the same respect by the other side. The Government will treat all other denominations with objective and impartial justice. It cannot, however, tolerate allowing membership of a certain denomination or of a certain race being used as a release from all common legal obligations, or as a blank cheque for unpunishable behavior, or for the toleration of crimes. [The national Government will allow and confirm to the Christian denominations the enjoyment of their due influence in schools and education.] And it will be concerned for the sincere cooperation between Church and State. The struggle against the materialistic ideology and for the erection of a true people's community (Volksgemeinschaft) serves as much the interests of the German nation as of our Christian faith. ...The national Government, seeing in Christianity the unshakable foundation of the moral and ethical life of our people, attaches utmost importance to the cultivation and maintenance of the friendliest relations with the Holy See. ...The rights of the churches will not be curtailed; their position in relation to the State will not be changed."
Wow. Hitler asked Hindenburg to get rid of the Reichstag, then 6 days before the election for the Reichstag the building was set on fire and Hitler blamed the Communists. The Reichstag gave Hitler emergency powers (ala Patriot Act or Defense Authorization Bill), which he then used to arrest the Communists, who were one of the 2 groups resisting his power (Tea Party/conservatives?).
Hitler then had less resistance to his agenda to get rid of the Reichstag and proposed “The Enabling Act” which would allow Hitler’s own cabinet to make laws without the Reichstag - including even laws that opposed the Constitution. Because it was an unconstitutional law it was basically a Constitutional amendment and required a 2/3 vote (sort of like our Congress requires a 2/3 vote because of the filibuster threat). Hitler got the “centrist” vote by promising the Catholic leader of that group that he would sign an agreement to work with the Vatican - which he never did, but the promise was enough to get the votes he needed in order to grab what would otherwise be unconstitutional powers (Ben Nelson, anybody?)
The socialists were the only people who held out and voted against The Enabling Act. Hitler had the SA all over the place during the vote so the physical threat was intimidating to some.
The Reichstag chose to make themselves irrelevant and give Hitler legal cover to do what he darn well pleased - which he then did. The political opponents in the Reichstag were arrested as “terrorists” before the vote, and the squishy middle was offered vain promises of religious favors, which they swallowed hook, line, and sinker. The “It’s about the economy, stupid” Reichstag members thought it would be smart to consolidate powers because the political gridlock was damaging the economy, which was already hurting from WWI.
Does any of this sound familiar to anybody here?
It’s scary how easily a country can be overthrown.
I was gonna tweak that speech to make it sound like Obaama and see how many people would recognize it.
Cheers!