My 91-year old mother is a dyed-in-the-wool liberal, formed in the crucible of the Great Depression and not to be swayed. Not that I’d want to sway her; it’s perfectly OK with me at this point. I’m just happy she’s … Continue reading →
Amidst the exhilaration of the Lebanese demonstrations and the blogospheric hooha about the liberty babes, there has been one burning unanswered question that has tormented me: where did the protesters get all those flags, and how was it done so … Continue reading →
In a recent post, Norman Geras wrote: And yet it is almost de rigeur amongst people of liberal and left outlook, today, to use as representative of what we should fear in the way of a possible return of the … Continue reading →
(Part I) (Part II) How does a political identity begin? Political identities, like religious identities, start when we’re very young, and they start with the family. Later on, in our teens and early twenties, we may rebel, or we may … Continue reading →
I was reading Dr. Sanity’s recent post, in which she quotes Fred Siegel from the NY Observer. He describes an encounter with some undergraduate Dean supporters prior to the 2004 primaries thusly: I was taken aback by my conversation with … Continue reading →
A commenter named Nick writes, in response to this post of mine: I remember seeing a lot of anti-Clinton bumper stickers when he was elected. These two come to mind immediately… “Inhale to the Chief” “Don’t Blame Me. I Voted … Continue reading →
I live in a liberal Democrat “blue” town in a “blue” state. Back when I was blue myself, I wasn’t even aware of this; it was like background music. But this fact of blueness, or the characteristics that went with … Continue reading →
Those not interested in fluff, please skip this post. Am I the only one who thinks that Condoleezza Rice and Jackie Kennedy bear some sort of resemblance to each other? Physically, I mean. Think about it. The extraordinarily slender clothes-horse … Continue reading →
When I first started this blog, one of the things I was sure I’d do an awful lot of writing about is what it means to change one’s mind on a topic as fundamental and emotional as politics: who does … Continue reading →
It could be painful to watch if the Bush administration now steers sharply to the hard right domestically. But, seriously, how anyone can read the Newsweek Nov. 15 special election series about Kerry and not think a Kerry presidency would … Continue reading →
I’m tired of Andrew Sullivan. I’ve sparred with him in his LETTERS section, and thought about him way too much. I’m trying to swear off having anything to do with him anymore, because he has simply become an unserious thinker. … Continue reading →
When it’s a Presidential debate. I’ve always hated these things, from the Kennedy/Nixon days. They make me nervous and they perplex me. Debating seems to be a skill that has nothing–absolutely nothing–to do with being an effective president. And of … Continue reading →