Bernie Sanders Pulls Nazi Card In Climate Change Talk

Didn’t we collectively get over the whole “calling everyone a Nazi” phase during the last election? And we didn’t learn our lesson the first time around? Using hyperbole to compare whatever offends you to the atrocities committed by Hitler is not only insulting, but lazy, and Jon Stewart summed it up perfectly in 2008. That’s why we were surprised to hear the old analogy brought back by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders during today’s Senate hearing on the budget for the Environmental Protection Agency because…what?




The Independent Senator said those who are trying to ignore global warming are reminiscent of the people who didn’t see Nazi Germany as a threat until it was too late.

He continued:
“…during that period with Nazism and fascism growing — a real danger to the United States and Democratic countries all over the world — there were people in this Congress, in the British parliament saying, ‘don’t worry! Hitler is not real! It’ll disappear! We don’t have to be prepared to take it on.'”

No, see, we get the comparison. It’s not nonsensical. But there are better ways to say that people are ignoring a legitimate problem than bringing up Hitler, because as soon as any reasonable person hears that they immediately tune you out and your actual argument — no matter how persuasive or ‘right’ it may be — becomes muddled under your poor choice of rhetoric. Besides, everyone knows…communists are the new fascists in the political name-calling spectrum.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!