I think the reasoning behind the second amendment is that every level of the hierarchy of society needs to have the capability in the final calamity to defend against the level above if necessary.

Therefore the right to bear arms by individuals is necessary in this view.

I remember reading a Confucian scholar who said "The institutions of the community are critical for it's stability. These include the family, the local community, the king and the emperor." In other words the hierarchy of the community is important for stability. A corollary to this- if the institutions are malformed society will be malformed- or where there is chaos you will find bad institutions. Confucius also talks of relationships and the responsibilities of the members of the community. Also he believed that the family and it's relationships was the key elemental structure upon which society is constructed.

There are useful ideas in many places.

This has relevance/ relationship to the idea of hierarchy in the Second Amendment.

Prior to his election, Donald Trump expressed the feelings of many disillusioned Americans. Basically, those feelings were that government 'elites' were on the same side - they were in lockstep (in Australia think climate change, mass immigration, multiculturalism etc.to get that feeling). There was an oligarchy, or a "tyranny of experts". That's why Trump is as unpopular with Republicans as he is with Democrats. He has busted their born-to-rule assumptions.

Trumps is president because he has earned the right to be president. And he is keeping his promises unlike any politician anywhere at any time.

Dear Canem Malum,

I think your analysis of the Second Amendment is correct and was applicable to the eighteenth century when the amendment was adopted. I am of the opinion it is no longer applicable since modern weapons in the hands of individuals are a greater danger to society than they are a safeguard against oppression of one level of society by another.

When the Second Amendment was adopted there were no police forces in the USA, and it was up to the individual to protect oneself and family against marauders. In 1838, the city of Boston established the first American police force, followed by New York City in 1845, Albany, NY and Chicago in 1851, New Orleans and Cincinnati in 1853, Philadelphia in 1855, and Newark, NJ and Baltimore in 1857 (Harring 1983, Lundman 1980; Lynch 1984). By the 1880s all major U.S. cities had municipal police forces in place.

pretty good summary ttbn. He seems to be growing in popularity as the elite including Hollywood throw tantrums, tell lies and have much much egg on their face. Most of us had not even heard of Trump prior to 2016.