A Little Reading Might Help

Recommended Reading to Help Understand, Resist, Rebuild

First, A Little Detour

Before we begin our main discussion, I wanted to share a separate thought with you. Many of us will remember that a lot of people enjoy playing the game of determining what is someone’s “spirit animal.” I sort of gave that up when I told people I thought theirs might be a sloth or a skunk, and they did not take it well. But over the past few days, I think we can agree on Trump’s spirit animal. I think it is the common house cat.

Anyone who has shared thier home with a cat that is allowed outside for periods of time, know the old game of the cat sitting by the door and going in/going out/going in ad nauseam – unable to make a decision. That describes Trump perfectly, as illustrated by the on again/off again/on again/off again tariffs. This must be driving business nuts, not to mention other countries and anyone buying anything from Canada, Mexico, or China. Make up your mind, Donnie – in or out?

Now, back to our topic of the day.

No Shortage of Material

I expect most of us feel like we are drowning in inputs these days. The amount of analysis, complaints, victory cries, and solicitations are filling our inboxes and mailboxes daily. I would not want to add to that long list but would like to suggest a few items for your consideration that I think are worth the time.

These sources help you understand more fully what is going on and what options you have to deal with all that is going on today. If you have others that you find equally useful in grounding yourself and organizing how you deal with current events, feel free to share them with all of us in the COMMENTS section of this blog.

Project 2025

Remember this one? The document Trump kept saying he knew nothing about? Yeah, no one bought that at any point and events have proven this was the active road map all along. When the story of this plan first came out, I downloaded it, expecting it might be hard to find once word got out. So I have been the “proud owner” of some 900 + pages for quite some time.

Sure enough, when the news about this thing finally started spreading, it was hard to find online for a while. It is certainly back online now. It is recommended reading. The vast majority of what is going on is there, in plain English. Including notations that the plan is to surge everywhere at once and try to get most of it in place within the first six months of a Trump administration.

The link below gives good background and overview of Project 2025. It also contains a link to the Plan’s site online, from which you can download it. To do so, you will have to plow through some terrible self-praise by the Project’s fathers, but there you are. I can pretty well guarantee about everything we have seen in the first weeks of this administration and in this plan, easy to find. What has not yet been done but will be attempted is in the plan as well. Terrible stuff but read on. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025

 On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

This is a most impressive, even if very short, book that calls out the dangers of a Trump administration, tying the warnings and costs we already know from watching oligarchs and dictators across the 20^thCentury (from Hitler to Stalin and beyond). Snyder is a major historian and a keen obverse. I am looking forward to getting into more of his work.

This impressive book was written back in 2016 – the author saw what was coming – and has been updated. I recommend his blog as well. The book is a fast read of a low cost paperback. If everyone had read this in 2024, we likely would not be where we are today.

Book:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/on-tyranny-timothy-snyder/1125454355?ean=9780804190114
Blog: https://substack.com/@snyder

The True Believer

Eric Hoffer’s landmark tome on the political fanaticism, written in 1951 is truer today than ever. Another small book packed with wisdom. Hoffer, a longshoreman and a philosopher was one of the sharpest minds I have ever come across in studying our species. He makes it easy to understand how people can so easily and quickly become radicalized, loosing in short order judgement and the ability to think critically.

I have pulled this book out to reread fairly regularly for more years than I can remember. It speaks to us today. Among other places, you may find the book at:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-true-believer-eric-hoffer/1100616914?ean=9780060505912

Our Common Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century

This is the opposite of Plan 2025. Written and published by Commission On The Practice Of Democratic Citizenship, American Academy Of Arts & Sciences in 2020, this is a sterling reminder of what America could be, with some pretty good guidance on how to get there.

It is a fine reminder of who we can be and the path we should follow once we finally get rid of the current mess. You may find it at this link:
HTTPS://WWW.AMACAD.ORG/SITES/DEFAULT/FILES/PUBLICATION/DOWNLOADS/2020-DEMOCRATIC-CITIZENSHIP_OUR-COMMON-PURPOSE.PDF

To Order a Print Copy (mine is dog eared): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfW6-WXONNd4GjWd4_mtSR4ce2CH15JEqZdWU-XXlwJW5yaNA/viewform

Anything Else Good to Read?

Yes, about a thousand books, articles, blogs, speeches come to mind. I encourage you to reach out as much as you can handle to be engaged with what is going on. But the reality is that people are being flooded, with both good and bad stuff.

My thought was that this short list of readings could help you sort out the rest and deal with the next four years (assuming all this lasts for four years).

Next Week: A very short list of what the Democrats should be doing right now (and what you and I should be doing). See you then.

Bill Clontz

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