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.
All we need is the Night of the Long Knives and Obama would have in his mind the start of his power. He is dillusional and fails to understand that the US is not in the same position as Germany was when Hiter took over.