Four Threats: Book Review
Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy (2020), Mettler and Lieberman, unique and interesting analysis of gross...
Government on the Cheap
It should be obvious that public policy often fails as governments at all levels don’t have the resources to do the job professionally....
Losers and Suckers
My father was in the Army Air Corps in World War II. My wife Naomi and I were both in the Army. I have ancestors who fought in World War...
Republican Convention: I Watched the Whole Damn Thing!*
I watched the convention with befuddlement. They’re saying the current Trump-led nirvana will be destroyed by socialist-commie, godless...
Is Trump a Fascist?
In “How Fascist is Trump? There’s Still a Formula for That” (Washington Post, August 23, 2020) John McNeill (Professor of history,...
Demagogue for President: Book Review
Dangerous demagogues like Donald Trump have no power in a properly functioning democracy (L 4608). Demagogue for President: The...
Time to Write That Dystopian Novel
There is no time to waste. Start with the ridiculous plot that a none-too-bright reality show host runs for president as a right-wing...
You're Not Listening: Book Review
You’re Not Listening: What You’re Missing and Why it Matters (2019), Kate Murphy; listening is important. This book goes into more...
Republicans in Power: The Evidence is In
Start with the opening of EJ Dione’s column: “This Republican Implosion Has Been a Long Time Coming” in the Washington Post (July 30,...
Intellectual Cul de Sac
It’s astonishing to me that their reputations mean so little to them. Garry Trudeau [about William Barr and Lindsey Graham] Cartoonist...
A Couple of Cheers for Republicans
I think I have pretty good moderate credentials. Early on, I tended to vote Republican, beginning with Nixon (granted, I'm not proud of...
The Hardest Job in the World: Book Review
The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency (2020), John Dickerson, a long book with 31 chapters of varying interest....
21 Lessons for the 21st Century: Book Review
21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018), Yuval Harari; basically 21 essays of various topics, some interesting and useful, some not so...
It's Official: We're in Recession!
It seems obvious that we've been in recession when the pandemic shutdown happened. However, the unofficial definition of a recession is...
Logical Fallacies 2: The Middle Ground Fallacy in the Age of Trump (Plus Propaganda)
The “middle ground fallacy” claims each extreme side is equally right or wrong and the truth must lie in the middle. First, as median...