Commentary on Noah Smith's "You and Whose Army?"

This blog post by Noah Smith is a super interesting analysis of our current political situation and the possible parallels with Spain in the 1930s, after the Spanish American War.

I disagree with some of the premise though:

• I grew up in Arizona, a purple state. Then I lived in Pennsylvania for many years, also a purple state. America is not as clearly divided as your essay suggests.

• I also disagree that all the guns are owned by conservatives (see Arizona and Pennsylvania experience, noted above).

• And having spent 12 years in the military and knowing LOTS of liberals in the military, I disagree that the military would side completely with the right.

• I also disagree that the left would have no super power on its side - the EU is not a single nation, but it has a military and it would most certainly side with the US left.

• I also question whether all the conservative gun owners could be counted on to rise up and fight. A lot of gun owners talk tough but they would never really stand up, either because they are gutless, or even because they are just too decent.

I do not buy the argument that the only way the left can prevail is to "woo" people on the right. The majority of Americans support Democratic positions on issues such as gun control and the social safety net. We have to protect voting rights and make sure that all Americans are truly represented. Then we will have nothing to fear.

I really enjoyed this essay and I will read the suggested book. But I will not despair about the US (yet).