Benjamin Carter Hett’s The Death of Democracy: Hitler’s Rise and the Downfall of the Weimar Republic isn’t the first book I have read trying to explain how Hitler came to power, but it’s the best. Reading it as too many Americans pretend that Biden’s victory saved American democracy was particularly sobering.
My Life
Personal Updates for February 22, 2021
This post is to share some honesty about how I have been doing and to provide a few updates.
Reviewing the Edge of Anarchy
Jack Kelly’s The Edge of Anarchy: the Railroad Barons, the Gilded Age, and the Greatest Labor Uprising in America tell the story of the Pullman strike of 1894. This is another of those books that shows exactly how little progress has been made in America over the last 127 years. Reading it in the context of the wealth gap increasing during a pandemic also struck a cord. Still,Kelly did a great job telling a critical story.
If you like history and/or you want to learn more about the real America, The Edge of Anarchy will not disappoint. It will upset you though.
Dear Scorpio
Here, at last, is my letter to Scorpio. I wish it had come sooner, but I haven’t been myself since his death. Suddenly saying goodbye to him and several other things that don’t belong here have kept me from feeling ready to pay the tribute to Scorp I want to pay.
Now that I’m slowly feeling more like myself, and that he has almost been gone for a month. It is time. I’m ready to say what I need to say for me.
Reviewing the First Seven Books in the Armand Gamache Series
Since I have fallen way behind on these, I’m going to give a general overview of Louise Penny’s Armand Gamache series through the first seven books. I’m currently reading the eighth book, because there is a lot about the characters and the series I really enjoy. As you will see, something bothers me and may result in my not finishing the series.
We Have Decided to try to Keep Shadow
I didn’t see this coming. Its not what I wanted. But for several reasons we have decided to try to keep Shadow.
Scorpio is Gone
Writing my painful goodbye to our beloved Scorpio, I’m sitting on the floor next to his bed. Trying to best share my feelings about a wonderful friend and our sudden loss, I need to be close to him.
Sitting in the place where I sat so often to rub his side just feels right.
AOC Represents her District
This post is a follow-up post to the one I wrote about Pelosi representing her district. As you will see, the demographics of AOC’s district make it an excellent one for her.
My hope is that by sharing posts like these, I can demonstrate that there is data to support what Congress does–even if it’s terrible–and that we could use that data to understand how to replace a number of those not adequately serving us.
Pelosi Represents her District
As you will see, Pelosi represents a very wealthy district. With that wealth, comes very few people living without insurance and a poverty level far below the national average.
The reality that Pelosi represents a district with a demographic profile much more befitting of a Republican is why she governs from the right.
The speaker of the House in a Democratic Congress must represent a district that looks like the Democratic Party. By installing a speaker representing a conservative district, the Democratic Party is prevented from doing anything progressive.
As the data shows, Pelosi should be removed as speaker.
I Didn’t get the Job
I didn’t get the job I applied for with the Portland Water Bureau. So, it’s time for me to take a step back and see where I could go next.