politics

Yes. Each book is a stand alone, but they do go in 'historical' order.

Slightly off topic. Max Allan Collins Nate Heller books are 'hard boiled historicals.' The latest "Too Many Bullets' covers the Bobby Kennedy assassination.

I'm voting Biden, but not happily.

I can't really disagree with you. The issue is we have reached the actual point where the current crisis dwarfs all others. Maybe I was just younger then, but it didn't feel like we had such existential threats in the Bush and Obama years. I remember people said that Romney winning would be the apocalypse, but it's laughable to say that would've been the case in hindsight.

I think what we can take heart in is that we've been seeing a gradual increase in progressiveness in the party. And not just a small constant increase, but a significantly growing one. There are a nontrivial number of Congressional members who are incredibly progressive, and they've shifted the mood of the party notably leftward. The Inflation Reduction Act was a historic level of climate spending, to the point that Europe felt pressured to pass similar legislation. And the IRA actually closed the corporate tax loophole too -- large corporations raking in billions in profits now have to pay a minimum 15%, even if they could previously loophole their way to $0.

I wish things were faster. Gaza in particular has highlighted to me just how frustrating it is for things to only improve at a snail's pace. And specifically with Gaza, I don't think the progress is actually amounting to material changes.

We are seeing material changes in other areas though. Healthcare could be a hell of a lot better, but as someone who relied on Obamacare for a few years, things have actually improved for people. The important thing is that we don't lose heart, and that we keep pushing for better. The US has a rich history of leftists persevering to accomplish women's suffrage, civil rights, labor rights, and gay rights and equality. As long as we press forward, just like they did, we'll be successful. The arc of history is long, but it bends towards justice and good.

If we could just bury the fascists for good, we could start to make serious progress.

We're gonna need a bigger tent

The first thing the nazis did, was purge the bureaucracy. Taking away guns was no concern, at all.

Privately owned guns played no significant role in the nazis' rise to or hold on power. Anything else is simply marketing by american gun sellers.

Some of their victims hid, refused to give up their arms, and fought back. They didn’t survive.

About 10-15,000 jewish germans survived the holocaust by going underground in Germany. They were colloquially called U-Boote or Illegale. Of course, that has nothing to do with guns. Guns were, after all, handed out to any able-bodied male.

If guns were the answer to dealing with fascism and authoritarianism, germany never would have had the holocaust.

That is only partly true. Germans are only a small fraction of holocaust victims (<5%). The victims overwhelmingly came from eastern Europe, particularly Poland and the Soviet Union. The holocaust happened in the wake of the advancing Wehrmacht. A more far-sighted response to german war preparations would have made a difference. A lesson one must bear in mind in today's world.

Yeah, it's a fucking joke to assume that guns are a hedge against fascism. They'll take your guns or shoot you. Maybe there's some protection in being an organised group in the moment, but if they want to get you they'll get you.

I have some bad news.

Nah, without control of the levers of government they're just terrorists. Don't forget that the government was well warned about Jan 6, and Trump's team actively suppressed preparation and response. It's not going to be the same if Biden is in office.

There will be no local violence. His supporters are riding rascals through Walmart, the few that could participate will turn and run when shit gets real, just like 1/6

Conservatism is a reaction to progress. It’s inherently reactionary.