Bravo Roger Kimball! Finally someone is saying the word “Gleichschaltung.” I would like to add to your definition that it is not merely a German word. It is straight out of the Nazi vocabulary. The literal meaning is make everything level and equal. It refers to efforts from the beginning to bring every facet of German life, every organization, every kaffeeklatsch circle, every youth group, every singing and hiking society under party control and make its members subservient to the Fuehrer and further a cult of personality, which is every dictators goal. In light of this, it gives you cold chills to see what is going on in Washington these days.