Charismatic leaders can lead nations to disaster

Dear editor:

Once upon a time, there was a charismatic fellow with rare speaking talent and an uncanny ability to hold crowds in the palm of his hand on emotion alone. Using economics as a springboard, he swooned the people with what they hungered to hear.

Although not a natural born citizen himself, he was able to become chancellor through voter fraud and intimidation. His inner circle comprised those as corrupt as he was, and he appointed only those who followed his ideals to the letter.

He called his party the National Socialist Party (NAZI for short), and in short order, they took over banks and major industry through intimidation, deprived all but the police and military of guns, abolished free speech but fed the people a steady diet of government controlled Nazi media programs and films shown in the cinemas.

The "state" also ran the hospitals and clinics, where a person's social status, age, medical and mental history would determine where the Deutschmarks would get spent, who would get treatment and who would be left behind to die.

The massive spending was thrust onto the backs of those who would toil to support their government, yet still eke out a living. All the while, the inner circle of the elite lived life lavishly in mountain retreats, Bavarian gardens, travelled in their own private trains, and drank champagne as their "subjects" languished and paid the bill for it.

When the end came, half of this conquered country suffered further punishment behind the "wall" of a communist nation, exercising its "spoils of war." Fortunately for the other half, it was aided by a kindly victor.

There is a frightening picture emerging into view today in this country, especially if we haven't learned anything from history, and it appears we haven't.

Does anything you've just read sound familiar in 2009?

Mike Bradbury