In light of the recent, lengthy and tenacious deliberations in the House and Senate over the debt ceiling, cutting & spending, and whether or not to have a balanced budget, I thought some words from one of our most esteemed Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, might be in order. (It’s not the same situation exactly, but […]
I’m gonna catch some heat for this one, fer sher…. Too often, when people hear the word “compromise”, they equate it with betrayal of principles or the undermining of credibility or of an agenda. But, neither is necessary. As any negotiator will tell you, some measure of compromise is required in order for both parties […]
Muggers, burglars, and thieves? No worries. Fraudsters and scammers? Not a concern. Neighborhood drug dealers? Where? I don’t know about you, but I’m sure happy to know that local law enforcement is keeping us citizens safe from unlicensed, underage lemonade stand operators. These scum are a scourge on this nation! Once the cops get that […]
I remember when, many years ago, I first found out that the cast of the original Star Trek series did not always get along and a huge part of the problem was William Shatner’s ego. Star Trek was one of my all-time favorite TV shows (and the movies and the books), and Shatner was a […]
“Fourth of July celebrations in the United States shape the nation’s political landscape by forming beliefs and increasing participation, primarily in favor of the Republican Party,” according to a new study by two assistant professors from Harvard. What’s more, since the political right seems to have more successfully appropriated patriotism in 20th (and 21st?) century […]
Words are important. In his guest-post the other day, my friend Todd expressed his frustration with various commentators — one in particular — misusing the term “isolationist/ism” in a way that mischaracterizes what some people actually stand for. It’s a valid concern. Anyone who participates in or watches/listens to enough debates will tell you it’s […]
My friend Todd Fichter is quite peeved at NPR political correspondent and Fox News contributor Mara Liasson. He believes she is using the term “isolationist” in an inaccurate and unfair way. I haven’t been following the issue, but I believe the proper use of terminology is important for any discussion or debate, so I agreed […]
What do a crowded theater and anti-war pamphleteering have in common? What do they have to do with your First Amendment rights? Stay with me, and all will be made clear…. It seems whenever one has a discussion about First Amendment rights (well, often, anyways), inevitably someone brings up the bit about shouting fire in […]
Since at least the 1970s, we’ve been warned that the world is at, or close to reaching, “peak oil“. As you can probably guess, the term indicates reaching some sort of limit. According to Wikipedia, “Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the […]
I’ve read Ann Coulter’s first four books, now, having recently completed How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must): The World According to Ann Coulter. (Yeah, I know, I’m way behind.) If you’re unfamiliar with the book, it is a compilation of many of her columns through 2003 (or maybe early 2004). I wouldn’t […]
