These capitalists generally act harmoniously and in concert, to fleece the people. —Abraham Lincoln, from his first speech as an Illinois state legislator, 1837
What’s the word of the year for 2011?
Newspapers, linguists, politicos, magazines and blogs are always looking for end-of-year hooks for stories. One perennial favorite is to choose—unilaterally, or via a poll
The militarization of local law enforcement
One of the many disturbing trends since 9/11 is the steady militarization of our domestic police. Thanks to loads of money and equipment funneled
I could do it again; grow up to be a liberal by watching CBS Evening News
I grew up to be a liberal; my views, which were largely based on empathy, were formed well before I graduated from high school.
America’s five ugliest Congressional districts
In the 1980s, as California redrew its Congressional district boundaries after the census, one Congressman called his draft of a district map his “contribution
Reflecting on Osawatomie
The president’s speech in Osawatomie Was populist, just as it oughta be He defended the middle, Put one-percenters on the griddle, And decried our
How states’ rights affected the assassination of JFK
I thought that I had gotten over it; the connection between the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and where it happened – Dallas,
Support for Tea Party plummets
On November 29, Pew Research Center reported that since the 2010 midterm elections, the Tea Party has lost support nationwide and also in the
Two world views collide on the highway
On a rainy, cold, foggy night, we’re driving on I-90 from the Albany, NY airport to a town in rural upstate New York. My
Lingering questions about Black Friday
“Black Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving, was a wonderful gift to both retailers and the media. Even before midnight Thanksgiving night, stores were mobbed