In an obvious dig at Democratic socialists, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) on Sunday quoted the Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini in a tweet:
“’We were the first to assert that the more complicated the forms assumed by civilization, the more restricted the freedom of the individual must become.’ Benito Mussolini,” Cornyn tweeted.
“We were the first to assert that the more complicated the forms assumed by civilization, the more restricted the freedom of the individual must become.” Benito Mussolini
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) February 24, 2019
The quote demonstrates how Mussolini, who ruled Italy between 1922 and 1943, adopted the socialist idea of a strong, centralized state controlling major parts of society and restricting individual freedoms. His policies led to government control of three-quarters of Italian businesses by 1935.
The tweet was quickly “ratioed” by thousands of Democrats who thought Sen. Cornyn — a moderate Republican — was quoting the fascist dictator favorably.
Mussolini’s totalitarian-authoritarian dictatorship outlawed all other parties and organized armed squads known as Black Shirts to terrorize political opponents. Virtually no politician in 2019 America would ever quote the infamous fascist favorably.
Yet a lot of Democrats seem to think he did:
How DARE you?! My father and his brothers FOUGHT Mussolini. This whole country did. You, sir, need to resign in shame.
— Lee in Iowa 🆘 #TeamPelosi (@Lee_in_Iowa) February 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/ItsMeCathi/status/1099813783294357507
Exactly! My dad didn’t leave for WWII as a healthy young man and come back 100% disabled to defeat the Nazis to see them coddled in America six decades later.
— Moe Davis (@ColMorrisDavis) February 25, 2019
Cornyn felt the need to clarify later in the day:
You nailed it, Bud. Since so-called Democratic Socialists have forgotten or never learned the lessons of history, and how their ideology is incompatible with freedom, I guess we have to remind or teach them. https://t.co/ftzal1DMED
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) February 24, 2019
The senator also wondered if he’d overestimated the intelligence of the average Democrat on Twitter:
Did I over estimate the intelligence of some in the twitter sphere? https://t.co/Cf8nUY3NUO
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) February 25, 2019
Enter Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez!
In case you missed it, while the GOP is calling paying a living wage “socialism,” a Republican Senator full-on quoted National Fascist Party leader and Hitler ally Benito Mussolini like it’s a Hallmark card.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 25, 2019
He’s comparing you to Mussolini. pic.twitter.com/UNr5bBTYLA
— Boomieleaks (@Boomieleaks) February 26, 2019
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) tweeted out a quote from fascist Benito Mussolini as an obvious shot at the Democratic Party, which seeks to restrict the freedoms of individuals@AOC thinks that he tweeted it out "like it’s a Hallmark card" because he supports it
She's a dishonest dolt pic.twitter.com/1dZdzzyUcf
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) February 26, 2019
I find it hard to believe that AOC is actually dumb enough to think that Cornyn was treating Mussolini’s quote like a Hallmark card. More likely, she recognized that a lot of Democrats believe it, and since Cornyn is up for reelection in 2020, she didn’t want to let the opportunity to paint the Republican as a fascist go to waste.
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