“That’s un-american!” Pardon? “Un-american?” I type the word with as much scorn as physically possible. It has no meaning. None. How could it when
Category: Ideas
Will a dearth of death drugs kill the death penalty? Let’s hope so.
Just a few hours before convicted serial murderer Joseph Paul Franklin was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Nov. 19, 2013, two
The Gettysburg Address mashup
November 19, 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address delivered by Abraham Lincoln. It’s an amazing piece of writing–both for its powerful message
Several nations, divided
We are not just one nation. We are eleven, according to Colin Woodard in a recent Tufts magazine article. He focuses on
On my mother’s 100th birthday: The story continues
This is not a political post. Today’s the day that I stop thinking politically for just a little while and think historically and
Time to reconsider daylight saving time?
After “falling back” an hour over the past weekend, we’re all blearily adjusting to the time shift imposed on us by the end of
The philosophical-political choices facing American voters
We are being told not to expect a “grand bargain” in Congress this year or next. This should not be a shock to anyone
Four ways Republicans are guilty of attempting to murder democracy
American democracy—or, at least, the flawed, but better-than-the-alternative system that we call democracy—is under attack, and not from Muslim terrorists. Our democratic system, with
We need to call out politicians’ blind spots
After bragging a little too much about his business successes, former Illinois Senator Charles Percy said, “If only I could see myself as others
Creating a collective voice, one neighbor at a time
Politicians, advocacy groups, and even blogs love to use catchphrases such as “empowered citizenry” and “grassroots movement” to engage the public and inspire them