Many Trump apologists get upset when he is compared with Hitler but Trump's use of lies and the distortion of reality are from the Hitler playbook.

In his account of how the Nazi Party came to power and how the failures of German politicians allowed it to happen, Benjamin Hett said, "the key to understanding why many Germans supported him lies in the Nazis' rejection of a rational, factual world". "In Mein Kampf Hitler wrote that propaganda 'must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over' ('Stop the Steal' motivates the Capitol rioters).

Hitler, just like Trump, denounced the free press who criticised his propaganda as "enemy of the people" and as the messages of real journalists were weakened, Hitler founded the simple slogan he repeated again and again to discredit reporters: "Lgenpresse", which in English is 'fake news'. The US rioters have been duped and they truly don't realise it.

IT can be argued that strategic dependence on the US has led Australia into morally unjustifiable wars which have had disastrous consequences for the invaded countries including Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Furthermore, that dependence has led to Australian foreign policy mirroring that of the US and is currently leading Australia into dangerous waters impacting negatively on trading relations with Australia's major trading partner, China.

MORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

The alliance with the US and consequential ADF integration with the US military would almost certainly draw Australia into any conflict which the US has with China with subsequent economic disaster for the Australian people.

Is it time to reconsider this close alliance with the US? Are our interests as an island off the coast of Asia and highly dependent on trade with the Asian region and seeking good relations with our neighbours, very different to those of the US? Strategically would a much more independent foreign policy better serve our interests?

Armed neutrality has served the Swiss well and kept them out of wars. Perhaps it could serve our interests also.

THE recent opinion piece by Mark Diamond (NH, 2/1) was very disturbing.

The plan by this government to deregulate coastal shipping threatens the long distance rail industry on the east coast, also threatening local jobs and the economies of towns along the route of the Inland Railway.

It also relies on overseas companies to do more jobs which should be done locally, thus threatening our future ability to carry out these tasks. The folly of relying on overseas manufacturers to produce our goods has been revealed in the pandemic.

When will these clowns in power learn? We need to be more self sufficient with all that we do. We cannot afford to rely on overseas concerns to carry essential tasks that should be done in Australia.

Another issue is that when the pandemic arrived and became the main news story, I became concerned that our governments both federal and state would try to sneak some nasty bills through. Well it looks as if this is what is happening. I wonder what other nasty bills have gone through without our knowledge and what is the opposition doing about it?

OUR government has been asleep at the wheel since the beginning of the pandemic.

Maybe it has taken sufficient economic actions, but when it comes to our borders and quarantine it has failed miserably. It is a federal government's responsibility for control of our borders, (1908 Federal Quarantine Act).

When it became obvious that the federal government was not going to maintain its border responsibilities, the premiers initiated the hotel quarantine system.

This should have been a temporary system while the federal government instituted a national quarantine station system. So what has the federal government done since March? Nothing.

The current and previous failures of the hotel and flight crew quarantine systems will continue because makeshift systems are not properly designed and operated quarantine stations.

We need these stations now as COVID-19 is expected to be in Australia for at least another year and worldwide for many years.

This week we read that Scott Morrison is going to spend $75 million on an ad campaign telling us how good they are performing.

Will this include topics such as the Ruby Princess debacle or deaths in government-controlled aged care homes?

The only time we hear from the Home Affairs Minister is when he is criticising the Queensland Premier for border shutdowns. No state borders would not need to shut if Peter Dutton and Scott Morrison had done their jobs.

Come on media, hold this government to account.

IF the Newcastle and Port Stephens areas recorded the same amount of positive COVID cases and Sydney was virus-free would Gladys allow people from Newcastle-Port Stephens to visit Sydney for holidays? Why then are hundreds of thousands of Sydney residents allowed to holiday in rural and seaside NSW towns. Locals in Port Stephens are filthy with the situation and tourists are being given a cold shoulder. The next election this issue will be the one that sinks Gladys' ship.

SOME people/groups are against voluntary assisted dying, and that is fine and democratic. The overriding principle of a democracy is majority rule, and it is undemocratic to force a minority view on to the majority. Also take note of the word "voluntary" - VAD would not be compulsory and no one is forcing anyone to do anything against their will or beliefs or principles.

THINGS are messy, Dave McTaggart (Short Takes. 5/1) but don't let the turkeys get you down. It would definitely be worse if you were a Pom or a Yank.

FINALLY Jets supporters have some good news so now all you Novocastrian lovers of the "beautiful game" come out and give them all the support you can.

WE are one and free, humbug, not while we have a Union Jack, known as the butchers apron on our Australian flag. Not while we dance in tune to American war tom-toms. Not while we answer to a foreign head of state. These misused words generate in my misleading thoughts. What can I say? Up the Republic, and right up the government.

THE latest NRMA TV ad featuring a self drive car has highlighted something I have noticed over the past few years, the non usage of adverbs. The final scene states "until then, drive safe". Obviously it should be "drive safely". It has been particularly evident in sporting circles, however, has now entered the advertising medium.