booksofbrian.bsky.social
Reader, gamer, loves to work out, cook, putz around in the garden.
693 posts
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882 following
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Just finished The Once and Future World Order and found it to be very reassuring. I wish there were ways to more effectively transmit some of your conclusions to a broader and less academic audience.
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As much as I enjoyed The Bright Sword, I found myself truly thankful for Amitav Acharya’s book. It’s almost impossible not to have anxiety about the future given all that’s happening today. I must admit that Acharya’s book provided a perspective and a comfort that I sorely needed. Superb read!
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I’ve always loved Arthurian content and Grossman’s book was a truly entertaining fantasy and a pretty creative and unique look at the world Arthur left behind. I enjoyed every page and would highly recommend.
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I haven’t voted for an R since 2015 and struggle to imagine the circumstances under which I ever would again. Having said that - the only thing I want to see in LA right now is peaceful, positive, patriotic protest.
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I know all y’all passionately want to believe Tom is wrong but I’m afraid he’s not. In a nation so evenly divided - it’s the 10% in the middle that determines who’s in power and these are not images that move them in the direction we want them to go.
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I’m a true sucker for Arthurian content - also currently reading The Bright Sword which I’d also highly recommend.
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Never watched the first.
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Fun book - I think you’ll enjoy it.
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Beautiful sentiment but I just don’t think the rest of the world are that into us anymore.
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Self-inflicted.
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I have about 2 more days on this Skyrim playthrough and I’ll be ready to transition to my next game - The Tainted Grail - which I purchased and downloaded today. Best BDay ever.
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Decided to try it out with another Skyrim playthrough - one of my 3 all time favorites - pure perfection. When you can fall in love with a new platform AND fall back in love with one of your all time favorites - doesn’t get ANY better than that.
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Just one man’s opinion but any Newsom primary bid is DOA with me. I compare him to Pritzker and it becomes a no-brainer for me.
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David French’s article titled “The Christian Right Is Dead. The Religious Right Killed It” and the NYT Editorial Board opinion piece titled “There Is A Way Forward: How To Defeat Trump’s Power Grab”. Highly recommend every bit of each.
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Finally, we really have to change the way we treat capital gains under current law.
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I also strongly support removing the cap on the SS tax.
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The vehicle we currently have in place is an income tax. In past, the bracket for the highest wage earners was ~90%. I don’t know that you can go back & seize wealth already accumulated but changing the brackets to tax higher incomes at higher %s is doable and gets at unfair distribution over time.
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Unless you’re ready to start seizing property and wealth without due process, accomplishing those goals is a years long / possibly decades long process that relies on an electoral majority supported by a populace that’s bought into the platform. That requires years of activism and education.
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I do think income disparity has to be at the heart of D platforms going forward and I think that we have to find a way to redistribute much of the wealth concentrated at the top in this country. I also have a pretty realistic appreciation for what can and can’t be accomplished politically.
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Again - respectfully disagree. Appreciate your passion. I’m very supportive of higher tax brackets for higher earners. I also support the need to raise the SS wage cap. I do think wealth disparity is a critical issue that has to be addressed. I won’t accuse you of being a fool just bc we disagree.
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Pritz for Prez 2028!!
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Sorry - elicit strong emotional responses with a “MAJORITY” of voters.
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When you combine that reality with this - you live in a political reality where messages HAVE to be simple and elicit strong emotional responses - nuance is not very viable.
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Finally - IMO - no national Political Party can be any one thing. This country is too big and too diverse and has too many voters to allow any hyper-focused Political Party to achieve an effective majority.
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Having said all that - I’d describe the Democratic Party as “working class adjacent”. They’re closer to what you’d call a “party of the working class” than the alternative.
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I agree with both of those statements - and I think the reason that’s true is that Political Parties run on money - they need it to survive - and “the working class” doesn’t have a whole lot of money to give to political parties. I don’t think any of this will change any time soon.
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1 more thing- IMO - we’re here today bc of 40+ years of a very effective, multi-faceted effort on the part of cultural conservatives to change the country’s political calculus. You don’t fix that with one election. It’s going to take decades to move this country back to a more “decent” politics.
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Sorry but that’s just unfair and a little insulting. I live in IL and I’ve seen what a great job Pritz has done serving this state. I support him not bc of what he says but bc of what he’s done as Governor.
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I have ideas and suggestions - but have to get going - feed and walk the dog - will try to post something later in the day. Having said that - I’m no expert and those suggestions will be worth what you pay for them. Cheers.
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Rob Flaherty has a great op ed in the NYT this morning - you should take a look. I think he makes some great points.
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I agree with the points you’ve made here - but impeachment is no remedy in today’s political environment and it doesn’t mobilize people. Ds tried it twice during Trump’s 1st term and it didn’t make a difference then - it won’t now - it only serves as a distraction for the real and necessary work.
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There is nothing more representative of empty “aura farming” / performative political posturing in today’s domestic political environment than calls for impeachment.
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Time will tell - he has my support. Here’s a perspective - sweeping declarative statements do attract attention and foster engagement but they’re almost never firmly tied to any objective reality or high probability future outcomes.
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Respectfully disagree - and - single issue voters really hurt the Ds in 2024. Let’s hope people grow a little wiser and learn that lesson over the course of the next 4 years.
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Pritz for Prez 2028!
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Talk about focusing on the 1% - please!
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Pritz for Prez 2028!
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The MAGA Funeral Games will be a glorious disaster for the movement.
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I would suspect that her doing so significantly increases D probability of holding onto that seat.
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NJMH: I think the content you’re describing can be found in any public library / public school library in this country. With an internet connection, Wikipedia will serve. Content creators who make a living off their product aren’t responsible for offering that kind of remedial education.