Nobody else here is trying to argue that the USSR in the 1970s and 1980s was more evil than the short-lived Nazi regime. (but you could easily argue that)

I'm interested in that 'easy argument'. It seems very hard to me. Of course, picking an arbitrary period is a bit unfair - you might as well take Germany from 1933 through July 1938, but even then it was preparing for a war of aggression with the USSR wasn't.

They're saying communism is worse than the national socialists were

Would that not imply that the USSR in the 1970s and 80s is worse than the Nazi regime?

I will say that as someone not pro-Hitler who would not wish to live under either totalitarian state.

Good! That's the kind of person I'm interested in hearing from. Not a gotcha, I'm really curious as to how you view this matter.