Republican Sen. Jeff Flake compares Trump's attacks on media to rhetoric of Stalin

[cigaretteman]

Good for Flake, a rare Republican politician with a conscience:

A Republican senator is denouncing President Donald Trump's use of the terms "fake news" and "enemy of the people" to describe the news media and stories he doesn't like.

Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona said Trump's attacks were reminiscent of words infamously used by Russian dictator Josef Stalin to describe his enemies.

In a speech Wednesday on the Senate floor, Flake called Trump's repeated attacks on the media "shameful" and "repulsive" and said Trump "has it precisely backward." Flake said despotism is the enemy of the people, while a free press is the despot's enemy and a guardian of democracy.

Flake, a frequent Trump critic who is retiring this year, said when Trump calls stories he doesn't like "fake news," he "should be the figure of suspicion, not the press."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...t-jeff-flake-trump-speech-20180117-story.html

 

[TJ8869]

Good for him for calling out Trump. But it still makes me shake my head any time someone compares Trump or any other American politician to Hitler or Stalin or any other maniacal despot.

Trump has a long row to hoe before he catches up to even lower level dictators like Idi Amin and Francisco Franco. Stalin and Hitler aren't even on the radar screen yet.

 

[rocketclone]

Hopefully Trump stays after them. A lot of them have been pretty unfair. 90 percent negative coverage says a lot.

 

[hawkbred]

Good for Flake, a rare Republican politician with a conscience:

A Republican senator is denouncing President Donald Trump's use of the terms "fake news" and "enemy of the people" to describe the news media and stories he doesn't like.

Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona said Trump's attacks were reminiscent of words infamously used by Russian dictator Josef Stalin to describe his enemies.

In a speech Wednesday on the Senate floor, Flake called Trump's repeated attacks on the media "shameful" and "repulsive" and said Trump "has it precisely backward." Flake said despotism is the enemy of the people, while a free press is the despot's enemy and a guardian of democracy.

Flake, a frequent Trump critic who is retiring this year, said when Trump calls stories he doesn't like "fake news," he "should be the figure of suspicion, not the press."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...t-jeff-flake-trump-speech-20180117-story.html

Some people just don't get it and Flake is one of em. Imagine that, someone living in the D.C. bubble and being out of touch...

 

[Hawk8595]

Good for him for calling out Trump. But it still makes me shake my head any time someone compares Trump or any other American politician to Hitler or Stalin or any other maniacal despot.

Trump has a long row to hoe before he catches up to even lower level dictators like Idi Amin and Francisco Franco. Stalin and Hitler aren't even on the radar screen yet.

That's because you are thinking of them for their full body of work. Think of them early when they were dictator wannabes.

 

[TJ8869]

That's because you are thinking of them for their full body of work. Think of them early when they were dictator wannabes.

I prefer to just think. Trump is never going to come within any reasonable comparison of guys like Stalin and Hitler, et al.

It's just honest-to-God stupid to make comparisons like that. There are countless world leaders who abhorred the press - leaders to whom Trump is a much more realistic comparison. Guys who, for example, weren't later responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of people.

 

[Hawk8595]

I prefer to just think. Trump is never going to come within any reasonable comparison of guys like Stalin and Hitler, et al.

It's just honest-to-God stupid to make comparisons like that. There are countless world leaders who abhorred the press - leaders to whom Trump is a much more realistic comparison. Guys who, for example, weren't later responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of people.

He attacks the MSM. (don't believe anything except him) He is attacking the IC. He is attacking the pillars of our country. He is a racist. He is without morals. He is playing to a race of people. (whites) See the trend?

In Hitlers early days, the German people thought he was harmless too. He flattered the Aryan race. He pumped the egos of the general population and attacked "inferior races." Good people accepted him as their savior.

I would guess that he has about 4 of 10 people believing him even when he blatantly lies and it can be proven.

You believe you are thinking I'm sure.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Good for him for calling out Trump. But it still makes me shake my head any time someone compares Trump or any other American politician to Hitler or Stalin or any other maniacal despot.

Trump has a long row to hoe before he catches up to even lower level dictators like Idi Amin and Francisco Franco. Stalin and Hitler aren't even on the radar screen yet.

They weren't on the radar screen when they were starting out either. And considering how often obama has compared to them, it is not a stretch that trump would be.

 

[Rudolph]

Speaking of despots…

 

[MitchL]

Flake might be ripping Trump at times, but he's also a guy that has voted to back Trump's agenda nearly 90% of the time. Talk is cheap.

 

[TJ8869]

Flake might be ripping Trump at times, but he's also a guy that has voted to back Trump's agenda nearly 90% of the time. Talk is cheap.

It's entirely possible to agree with many of someone's policies while at the same time thinking that person is vile and despicable. I'm sure many Democrats were fine with Anthony Weiner's voting record. Hell, even Nixon's staunchest detractors were probably okay with him lowering the voting age and ending the draft and establishing the EPA and ramping up cancer research.

 

[MitchL]

It's entirely possible to agree with many of someone's policies while at the same time thinking that person is vile and despicable. I'm sure many Democrats were fine with Anthony Weiner's voting record. Hell, even Nixon's staunchest detractors were probably okay with him lowering the voting age and ending the draft and establishing the EPA and ramping up cancer research.

Flake's problem is that he's been very vocal in his criticism, yet the voting record doesn't really back his tough talk.

Otherwise, I agree with everything you stated.

 

[artradley]

Good for him for calling out Trump. But it still makes me shake my head any time someone compares Trump or any other American politician to Hitler or Stalin or any other maniacal despot.

Trump has a long row to hoe before he catches up to even lower level dictators like Idi Amin and Francisco Franco. Stalin and Hitler aren't even on the radar screen yet.

 

[TJ8869]

Flake's problem is that he's been very vocal in his criticism, yet the voting record doesn't really back his tough talk.

Otherwise, I agree with everything you stated.

Flake has primarily been critical of Trump's demeanor, his compulsive lying, his juvenile Twitter feed, and his utter disdain for the media. What specifically in Flake's voting record contradicts those criticisms?

 

[Pheidippides]

Flake was very careful to point out he wan't comparing Trump and Stalin other than that they used some of the same rhetoric. His criticism was however, very harsh, and IMO right on point.

 

[Titanhawk2]

Not sure there were any enemies of Stalin's in the Russian press. So what's the comparison?

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Draining the swamp:
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo...ign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20180118

 

[Rifler]

For a guy that has already announced his political retirement, Flake seems to be spending a lot of time in the media lime light,... If he were pro Trump they wouldn't waste a microphone on him.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

 

[TJ8869]

For a guy that has already announced his political retirement, Flake seems to be spending a lot of time in the media lime light,... If he were pro Trump they wouldn't waste a microphone on him.

He announced his retirement from the Senate, not from politics.

 

[Rifler]

He announced his retirement from the Senate, not from politics.

So what's in his political future?

 

[TJ8869]

So what's in his political future?

I don't know. I don't think he has said what he plans to do, but he's only 55 so I doubt he's done with politics.

 

[Rifler]

I don't know. I don't think he has said what he plans to do, but he's only 55 so I doubt he's done with politics.

I suspect that he starts selling real estate, insurance, or cars,.... Common occupations for the recently unemployed with no plan.

 

[TJ8869]

I suspect that he starts selling real estate, insurance, or cars,.... Common occupations for the recently unemployed with no plan.

No plan? Lol, the fact that he hasn't told you his plan yet doesn't mean he doesn't have a plan. He's still a United States senator for the next 11 months.

My guess is he goes into lobbying or consulting or some such venture. That seems fairly common among former senators.

 

[Rifler]

No plan? Lol, the fact that he hasn't told you his plan yet doesn't mean he doesn't have a plan. He's still a United States senator for the next 11 months.

My guess is he goes into lobbying or consulting or some such venture. That seems fairly common among former senators.

Sounds about right, political lobbyist, political consultant, real estate salesman, insurance salesman, car salesman,... all very highly thought of professions.

 

[MitchL]

For a guy that has already announced his political retirement, Flake seems to be spending a lot of time in the media lime light,... If he were pro Trump they wouldn't waste a microphone on him.

Book deal coming or a gig with MSNBC?