Having studied the stories of so many political “changers” (most recently, Kanan Makiya), it strikes me how similar the paths to such change often seem to be. Oh, the details vary, of course–different countries of birth, different turning points. But … Continue reading →
As so often happens, I want to take up a question posed in the comments section of a previous thread. Reader “kcom” expressed puzzlement at the lack of condemnation of Saddam’s regime from the left and their failure to see … Continue reading →
[The first part of this series on literary leftists can be found here. The third part can be found here.] The Spanish Civil War was famous for many things, including attracting the participation of some of the most well-known literary … Continue reading →
This comment on a previous thread intrigued me (the first question, that is—although the second was a bit intriguing, also). The query posed: back when I was a liberal Democrat, if I’d met a group composed mostly of conservatives, and … Continue reading →
Lately, there’s been a lot of rage going around at RINOs. (For those who aren’t familiar with the appellation, it stands for “Republicans in Name Only”–or what used to be known as “Rockefeller Republicans” in a somewhat less acronym-mad era). … Continue reading →
Blogger Pamela of Atlas Shrugs has been profiled at Pajamas Media, to an unusual amount of–err–highly cerebral commentary (well, commentary, anyway). Some of the comments have featured an observation I’ve heard before, to wit: Pamela is one hot gal. Nice … Continue reading →
The fallout from the radioactive Miers nomination has revealed a rift on the right that was always there but was never quite so clear before (at least to me): a gap between those whose overriding focus is the war on … Continue reading →
A recent comment here (from my old buddy “anonymous,” natch) questioned the influence of the left on current American politics. Scroll down at the link for the discussion which followed, if interested. Whatever the influence of the current left in … Continue reading →
Not being a conservative myself (I just play one on TV every now and then), I’d initially been surprised by the degree to which conservatives are angry at Bush for the Miers nomination. But I guess I shouldn’t be. When … Continue reading →
Roger Simon paid a nice tribute to Shrinkwrapped and some of us other psychobloggers (no, not “psycho bloggers”), even though it turned out to be based on somewhat of a case of mistaken identity re Shrinkwrapped’s semi-outing. I’m very happy … Continue reading →
It’s a popular phrase on the left, used here by Dan Rather, of all people (courtesy Roger Simon): “speaking truth to power.” The expression, which has been around for quite a while, is brilliantly parsimonious. In just four simple words … Continue reading →
Just recently I received an e-mail from a thoughtful reader who asked: For most of my friends, being progressive is part of their identity. Changing their minds requires reevaluating who they are…Why do you think identity is so tied up … Continue reading →