When I was in High School I read Shirer's book "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich."

[kairos12]

I remember the sections where he witnessed the rise of Hitler in Germany after 1933. I remember thinking what the hell were the Germans thinking. How was that possible?

I don't ask those questions anymore. I just hope we have a journalist of Shirer's talent chronically what's happening today in this country.

[lapfog_1]

1. This isn't over even if Drumpf loses

The good news is that the Donald is old... probably too old to stage a political comeback in 4 or 8 years.

Adolf had a number of early setbacks when he first got into politics.

The danger is that someone else will adopt his populism and his "politically incorrect" way of talking, who is charismatic, and doesn't have the baggage the Donald has.

[jcgoldie]

2. Wow

You had a lot of patience for a high school kid!

[Wounded Bear]

3. History does not repeat itself....

but it does rhyme.

The parallels are kind of striking.

[Hekate]

4. Right. I'm just glad Trump himself is an unwell-looking 70 yo. Unfortunately this election...

...will have long-lasting consequences. If there's a similarly charismatic younger man waiting his chance, we'll have to do this again.

[Nac Mac Feegle]

5. I sometimes wonder if it's not intentional

In my paranoid mental ramblings, I draw a line from the Asimov quote about anti-intellectualism, to the Santayana quote about repeating history, to Trump, or his successor.

I'm a technician. Paranoia is a survival tactic.

[JCannon]

6. Reichstag Fire

I hope you still have your copy of the book.

In recent decades, some historians have tried to deny that the Nazis set the Reichstag fire. Shirer's book proves that they did. As I recall, his footnotes cite little-noticed testimony in the Nuremberg trials.

If Trump wins, the Reichstag Fire precedent will be very much on everyone's minds.

[madamesilverspurs]

7. We read it, too.

Then, in college a couple of years later, we learned about the Milgram experiment.

Damned compelling reasons, among many others, to do the work we do to elect Democrats.


.

[kairos12]

8. I remain optimistic.

But as the saying goes, in 1938 the pessimists went to New York, the optimists to Auschwitz.

[Wellstone ruled]

9. Again we add the willing Press which hepled

in this take over. Ah,the militarizes of present day USA,FBI leaks,Billionaires controlling the Media to their benefit. Ineffective Justice Department that is hampered by internal back biting.

[NBachers]

10. Vote like it's 1932 - only this time, you can do something about it.

San Francisco City Hall, all lit up for Election Day Weekend.