Times were tough. The economy was hurting. Unemployment and inflation were rising and faith in the current leadership was shaken.

Then a candidate emerged that brought a message of Hope and Change. This candidate was relatively unknown. He had been nothing but a Community Organizer but others saw something more. His most appealing quality was his ability to give eloquent speeches that inspired others. He spoke of Hope and Change and making peoples lives better thru government help. However, he never gave a definition of “Change”.

As this candidate’s popularity grew, people began singing his praises. Crowds began forming to hear him speak. The speeches flowed off of his tongue to the excitement of many. Children sang songs of his greatness and their visions of Hope for the future. Others spoke of him as “The One that the World had been waiting for”.

Although most were enamored with the speeches, others began to get a glimpse of his “Change” by listening to “What” was being said as opposed to “How” it was said. As they began to question the candidate, they were criticized by those that supported the candidate. People would attempt to silence his critics thru intimidation and by discrediting those that spoke out against their candidate.

Still others pointed to his associations with people of questionable character. These people also were discounted and silenced. They were ridiculed in satire and damning hate filled articles and speeches.

But soon, the message changed. This candidate began to point to the flaws in his own once great country. He began to criticize the standing administration and pointing the finger of blame at his opponents, however, his supporters never waivered. The more he spoke, the more the masses blindly followed. He told the masses that their problems and circumstance were thru no fault of their own but were the result of the greed of the rich and prosperous.

He spoke of changing the world and they cheered. He spoke of taking from those that had plenty to give to those that did not have as much and the crowds cheered. He spoke of punishing the productive and rewarding those that followed him and he was worshiped.

The message from the candidate was one of ambiguous “Change”. The masses wanted Change and they voted for the Change candidate. After millions of lives where lost, including at least 6 million innocent Jews, the world finally became aware of the candidates definition of Change!

“Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.”

                                                                        -- George Santayana