Rep. West: Joseph Goebbels would be 'very proud of the Democrat Party'

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) on Thursday said Democrats have an “incredible propaganda machine,” comparing Democrat proficiency to that of a Nazi administration head.

“If Joseph Goebbels was around, he’d be very proud of the Democrat Party, because they have an incredible propaganda machine,” West told reporters in the House, according to multiple reports.

Joseph Goebbels was the head of the Minister of Propaganda in Germany while it was under the control of the Nazi party from 1933 to 1945. The department sought to control public opinion and enforce Nazi Party ideology in Germany prior to and during World War II.

West said the comparison was not between Democrats and Nazis and only applied to the quality of the propaganda.

“You have the president, who has an incredible megaphone and a platform, and he has people all across this country believing that the only people on Capitol Hill are House Republicans. He’s not talking anything about his controlled Senate. So, it’s a great propaganda machine. And I have to give him kudos for being able to leverage that,” West said.

House Republicans and Senate Democrats have been in direct conflict over the past several months on several issues, most recently over the payroll tax cut extension and the spending bill to fund the government. President Obama has blamed the GOP in Congress for blocking Democrat-backed proposals because they don’t want to give him a “win.” Republicans have also blamed Democrats for obstructionism.

The fiery Tea Party Republican West is known for fanning controversy and predicted his comment on Thursday would be used “to demonize me and demagogue me.” He also accused the media of “enabling” Democrats to get their message out.

The National Jewish Democratic Council released a statement later in the day condemning West for “invoking the Holocaust to make a political point.” NJDC President and CEO David A. Harris called on West to apologize to the Jewish community and “the Americans who fought valiantly to defeat the Nazis."

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