American Civil War Part Deux

Looking at the political landscape, I'm starting to see unhealthy parallels between now and the 1850's and 1860's. Lots of political unrest, guerrilla warfare in Missouri and Kansas, a polarized press (the only media of the time) and religious groups. The cause was slavery but the overt discussion was "state's rights." The political framework of the Confederate states was essentially a one party state, and dissidents received punishments from tarring and feathering to expulsion or lynching. The modern Taliban Republicans are seemingly intent on reviving that political model. There's a good discussion in Orcinus, found at www.dniewert.blogspot.com