Not being a history expert, I was never sure quite what to make of the “Hitler killed the unions, too” argument.

So I was very interested to read Erick Erickson’s post over at RedState today (my emphasis):

This is, of course, cow patties. Lefties like to say things like this all the time, but it is complete and utter nonsense. In fact, in Mien Kampf, Hitler himself wrote:

As things stand today, the trade unions in my opinion cannot be dispensed with. On the contrary, they are among the most important institutions of the nation’s economic life. Their significance lies not only in the social and political field, but even more in the general field of national politics. A people whose broad masses, through a sound trade-union movement, obtain the satisfaction of their living requirements and at the same time an education, will be tremendously strengthened in its power of resistance in the struggle for existence.

Above all, the trade unions are necessary as foundation stones of the future economic parliament or chambers of estates.

The lefties say this because Hitler dissolved the Weimar Republic’s unions and consolidated them into the German equivalent of the AFL-CIO, basing the unions on socialist equality principles. Yes, he dissolved the unions. But he only did so because they weren’t “union” enough.

The lefties claiming otherwise are ignorant of history.

Well, I have to admit a certain ignorance of history on my part, too. I’ve heard the Hitler comparisons over and over again and, as those comparisons were coming from Leftist activists, I simply assumed they were wrong. But I didn’t know for sure.

Mostly, my reaction to the “Hitler dissolved the unions” bullet point has been:

• So?

• Hitler supported universal health care, too.

• *Eye roll*

That works for me. None of these protesters is going to listen long enough for anyone to explain the actual history to them, anyway.

Even if they are teachers.