[SwellJoe]

If they actually follow through on paying their drivers that aren't able to work due to this executive order, it won't be "a cheap PR stunt". But, it could still be a PR stunt.

I support tech companies (and everybody else) speaking out, emphatically, against this order, even if I think the company speaking out has kind of questionable moral standing. If only those who are perfect can act against evil actions by our government, then we're in serious trouble.

Uber is imperfect. But, if they are sincere, I support them in this. And, perhaps if it comes time for armed insurrection to depose our Vichy regime, we can all hail an Uber and roll up to the revolution in style.

[jessaustin]

That last metaphor lost me... who are the Nazis, in this allegory?

[SwellJoe]

I don't think there's a very good direct corollary with historical fascist regimes; comparing the Trump administration and the complicit GOP Senate and House to Nazi Germany doesn't feel quite right. I feel like the GOP is more comparable to the Vichy regime in France: Collaborating with a monster for the sake of personal gain, not because they believe in the values Trump espouses.

Any comparison to Nazi Germany and the events that led to the rise of fascism is prone to be reaching; and prone to be dismissed by someone because there are many gaps in the comparison. Likewise, while there are certainly similarities to Italy's Mussolini and Spain's Franco, that's also a stretch. The world we live in is very different from that time and place. Fascism looks different today.

So...it's an imperfect metaphor. I merely wanted to poke fun at the craven GOP who have fallen in line behind a man they spent months criticizing and calling out for his fascist traits. Now that he's in a position of power they kowtow to him. More worrying, law enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and significant sections of the civilian and military government seem to be falling into line behind him rather than pushing back on his unconstitutional and illegal orders, even when I don't think they share his ideals. That's where my Vichy comparison comes from.

It's a stretch, I know. But, every comparison to historic fascists is. It doesn't make it less true that our new president is behaving like a fascist, and seems to have significant support.

Also, Putin's Russia probably had a hand in putting our new president into office.

[KirinDave]

Perhaps in this case we don't need metaphorical Nazis because American politics now has real people pushing an Americanized version of the Nazi agenda?

[dragonwriter]

If we have a "Vichy regime", then ...Putin's Russia?