Opinion: Comparing Trump to Hitler: These readers are having none of it

Last Saturday, The Times’ letters section featured a lengthy missive that all but called Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump a Nazi. It was the first letter on Trump to be published in The Times that fulfilled Godwin’s Law, but it was far from the first submitted to make the comparison.

The pile of unpublished letters that liken any number of politicians to Hitler is high, but what made the difference here was that The Times had printed an op-ed article accusing Trump of using Nazi-like rhetoric. Letters written in reaction exploring the comparison were fair game.

For some readers, the comparison was not well taken. Here are their letters.

Pacific Palisades resident Phillip Springer applies the dictator label to another candidate:

The letter calling Trump a Nazi will have the opposite effect of its purpose. Not only will the ridiculous comparison solidify and even amplify Trump backers, but the credibility of The Times as an ethical and unbiased conveyor of political news will come into serious question.

Nothing that Trump has ever said or done indicates that he would suspend Congress or unfairly pack the Supreme Court, which an aspiring dictator would do.

As for Hillary Clinton, the Democrats’ aim is to control both houses of Congress so Clinton can appoint far-left judges. This would give her control over the three branches of government, thus establishing a virtual dictatorship and making her not only the first woman president, but the first American dictator.

P.J. Gendell of Marina del Rey makes a similar point:

As I read the letters comparing Trump to Hitler, I wonder why the more obvious comparison of Clinton to Lenin, Stalin or Mao is never made. It’s her and her progressive supporters’ constant talk of “social justice” that is truly scary and threatens America. This is especially true of Clinton’s expressed belief that promoting social justice is the criteria for Supreme Court appointees.

Equality is great, but not at the expense of liberty.

Herbert C. Haber of Northridge says Trump promises simply to enforce U.S. law:

A letter writer believes that because Trump has promised to arrest and deport all illegal immigrants in the United State, he demonstrated his intention to be a dictator. The nation’s laws demand that illegal immigrants be deported. If Trump failed to enforce laws enacted by Congress, he would be violating the Constitution.

Clinton has stated that the deportation of women and children rubs against the grain of her morality. But her stated refusal to enforce our laws runs afoul of the Constitution.

Presidents are not free to enforce only the laws they like. Congress legislates and the president enacts and enforces laws. I am frightened to death by the vision of a president who believes she may enforce the laws she likes and is free to ignore those she does not. This is a usurpation of legislative power.

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