Franz von Papen and today's Republican Party

In America today, several members of the Grand Old Party (AKA: GOP) carry the DNA of Germany's next-to-last Chancellor before Hitler and the Nazi Party took over. In the early 1930's, there was a cascade of German leadership: 

• March 29, 1930, Heinrich Brüning, representing the (Catholic) Centre Party, was appointed Chancellor by President Paul von Hindenburg;
• June 1, 1932, Franz von Papen, also of the Centre Party, became Chancellor when the Weimar Republic collapsed; 
• December 3, 1932, Hindenburg appointed General Kurt von Schleicher (no party) to replace Papen; 
• January 30, 1933, Hindenburg appointed Adolf Hitler (Nazi Party) Chancellor to replace Schleicher.  

With his political party banned, Papen nuzzled-up to Hitler, clearly for his personal career, as well as safety

Hitler began the Third Reich. By mid-July 1933, the Nazis had banned all other political parties.  Through his series of appointments, the legendary German field commander from World War I slowly marched into senility.  On 2 August 1934, he died, and Hitler became Germany's President, as well as Chancellor.  With his political party banned, Papen nuzzled-up to Hitler, clearly for his personal career, as well as safety.  After the 30 June SS murders of somewhere between 400-1000 persons during the Night of the Long Knives, including Schleicher and his wife, Papen wrote this to Hitler: 

"Allow me to say how manly and humanly great of you I think this is. Your courageous and firm intervention have met with nothing but recognition throughout the entire world. I congratulate you for all you have given anew to the German nation by crushing the intended second revolution." 

Without a party affiliation, Papen continued to serve positions in the Nazi regime that included Vice Chancellor to Hitler (1933), Ambassador to Austria, and Ambassador to Turkey. 

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Franz von Papen became the poster boy for how to cozy up to a tyrant without becoming on

Franz von Papen became the poster boy for how to cozy up to a tyrant without becoming one.   In his 1952 Memoirs, he admitted "the error" with regard to the Nazi regime was that "I and my colleagues made in assuming that radicalism would become more moderate rather than more intense." (p. 248) It was his disingenuous excuse for continuing to serve the Nazi regime.    Papen had not, as he implied in his 1952 Memoirs, learned that lesson late. He knew it early on. He wrote: "At the first [Hitler] cabinet meeting, he [Joseph Goebbels] gave us a lecture on the art and science of propaganda, of which the gist was this: 'During the many years of struggle, I have learned how to influence the masses so that they will follow us without question. Whatever decisions we took during those years, we prepared the ground by the incessant repetition of suitable slogans, until the party members believed every word of them. We shall now have to use the same methods to convince the entire German nation of the necessity for Government's economic and political measures.'" (pp. 289-290)  Papen's DNA can be found in the Republican Party in both houses of Congress, but most importantly in the U.S. Senate.  They include, but are not limited to these Republican Senators: Lindsey Graham; Lisa Murkowski; Susan Collins; Ben Sasse; Richard Burr; James Langford; and Willard Romney.  Also, over in the House of Representatives, some Republicans display The Silence of the Lambs.  Or, more accurately, the Silence of the Pachyderms.   While this was being written, it was announced that, first four, and then at least ten U.S. military service personnel died today in Kabul, as Biden's 'plan' to abandon Afghanistan turned from chaos to death.  More death is likely ahead.  Before today, the last U.S. military KIA there happened 18 months ago.   Trump faced Presidential impeachment because of an alleged illegal phone call to a foreign leader. After the election, Trump faced impeachment again, this time for supporting an alleged 'insurrection' that never happened.  There was little pushback from the GOP.  No outrage. If there is an equally lackluster response from GOP pols in the wake of events in Kabul, there will be no more need to Democrats to steal elections. A majority of Americans will conclude that there are not two, ideologically diverse, and competing political parties.  Only one. The UniParty.   When that finally sinks in, the cracked liberty bell will ring-in the death knell of this Republic, long desired by the Left, and usher America into the New World Order.  A term first widely introduced to us by the first President Bush.