The Eternal Straw Men

If you frequent Internet political forums, or unsuspectingly find yourself browsing any comment thread on the once great now defunct Digg.com, you might be familiar with anonymous posters' propensity for comparing any political figure they have a disagreement with to Hitler, or Gobbles, or, well, any prominent member of the German National Socialist Workers' Party. Favorite runners up include Stalin and Mao as evidenced through Naomi Klein's unrelenting comparison of them to ... just about anybody.

The incessant use of the reductio ad Hitlerum strategy gave rise to "Godwin's Law" which was formulated by a Usenet member who grew tired of responding to it.  He discovered that "... as a Usenet discussion thread grows longer the probability of a comparison involving Hitler or Nazis approaches one."  By mocking the strategy, Godwin struck a blow in the name of all who would require anonymous arguments on the Internet use sound logic and reasonable temperament - a group seemingly made up of only Godwin himself.

But the Hitler comparisons still abound and are not limited to the vast series of tubes running information to and fro all over this great world.  Just recently, Madonna - in her infinite Detroit learned manner - made an altogether sound observation that McCain seemed strikingly similar to Hitler.  The Anti Defamation League Reports:

"... while she sang a song titled 'Get Stupid' during the launch of her latest world tour ... a projected photo montage appeared that included pictures of destruction and global warming, followed by video images of ... Mugabe and Hitler, ending with John McCain.  Apparently in Madonna's mind, the last three comprise a rogue's gallery of equivalent offenders to humanity."

George Bush has seen his fair share of Hitler comparisons during his tenure; as well as his pal Putin.  It's probably safe to say that anywhere a person is holding political office, there is someone comparing them to Hitler.

But in these pressing economic times, it seems there is a new whipping boy on the block.  The unfortunate Herbert Hoover has seen his name strewn as an epithet ever since the "great crash of 2008" began.  Most of us remember the term Hooverville from 5th grade social studies.  In reality it is probably the only thing any of us remember about our 31st President.  But this association in the minds of voters is enough for partisan hacks of all stripes to render his name completely meaningless to the annals of history. Apparently, Hoover, for Americans, equates to dirty people living in shacks and starving on bread and water.  

So if the average voter remembers only economic shittyness in relation to the man who was Hoover, and that somehow (we don't really know how) he caused that economic shittyness, what better way to convince a populous that you should be elected than to label your opponent as a Herbert Hoover during an economic downturn?

Politician:  "Obama wants to raise taxes in a recession ... the last person to do that was Herbert Hoover!  And we all know where that got us!"

Voter to friend:  "Who is Hoover?"

Friend:  "I think he was that President who made everyone eat dirt in the 30's"

Voter:  "Screw that, I don't want to eat dirt, I'm voting for McCain."

Both the Democrats and the Republicans have been guilty of this in the last few weeks.  Chuck Schumer wins the award for being the most ridiculous about it though.  He won't shut up about Hoover.  Basically he's arguing that the "last guy" to do nothing for the middle class when we faced this type of economic crisis was Hoover!  We can't do that again!

McCain is guilty too.  The Right is arguing that Hoover caused the great depression by instituting tariffs in a protectionist bid which is what Obama is claiming he will do.  Well, obviously then, Obama wants another great depression and shouldn't be voted for.

It probably comes as no suprise that Bush is also getting the Hoover treatment; since he has been, and continually will be, compared to every possible asshole since time in memoriam.

It's all nonsense.  The economic situation today isn't even comparable to the 1930's; much less the possible remedies.  Any idiot politician who invokes the Hoover smear should be voted against because they are insulting your intelligence - even though they are correct in realizing that we really don't know anything about Hoover.  Taking advantage of your intelligence or lack thereof is just evil - infact, it's akin to something Hitler would do; that asshole.

Enough already!

I'm announcing a new law today in the hopes of getting a law named after me.  Perhaps I can finally create a Wikipedia page about something I did without having it deleted by the wiki-whores in a matter of seconds (I swear they live inside the wiki).

As the likelihood of an American recession increases, the probability of a Reductio Ad Hooverum argument being used against a President in office, or candidate thereto, approaches one.