When I read this piece by Louis Michael Seidman in the New York Times today, I wanted to throw a parade. Our obsession with the Constitution has saddled us with a dysfunctional political system, kept us from debating the merits of divisive issues and inflamed our public discourse. Instead of arguing about what is to …
Tag Archive: Politics
Dec 26 2012
Conservative Politics at Gunpoint
This is how politics and advocacy is done on the right. Unlike progressive or reality-based groups who snipe behind each other’s backs, arguing about policy or tactics, or scramble for precious-yet-overlapping sources of income and attention, the conservative movement just brings guns. Via WaPo: [Dick Armey] walked into the [FreedomWorks'] Capitol Hill offices with his …
Dec 24 2012
Romney Didn’t Want to Be President? Don’t Believe It.
The Boston Globe has a really good behind-the-scenes look at what went wrong for the Romney campaign, including the still-baffling decision to put a Clint Eastwood improvisational sketch in a prime time convention spot in lieu of a very compelling biography video. But what really caught my eye is this assertion from Romney's son Tagg: …
Dec 20 2012
Cory Booker’s Books
Cory Booker just announced that he will not be running for governor of New Jersey in 2013, and instead will look to run for the U.S. Senate in 2014 (and I don’t think we yet know if he’s spoken to Sen. Launtenberg, as he definitely hasn’t said he’s going to retire). I actually think this …
Dec 18 2012
Hence the Gloom
The Economist‘s Lexington blog: As for the National Rifle Association bumper stickers arguing that only an armed citizenry can prevent tyranny, I wonder if that isn’t a form of narcissism, involving the belief that lone, heroic individuals will have the ability to identify tyranny as it descends, recognise it for what it is, and fight …
Dec 17 2012
We’re not doing enough. And we will have to change.
The president on Sunday, in Newtown. Full text here. Almost unbearable to watch, for the heartbreak. A few quick observations: You can see the gravity of sadness — almost the literal gravity — weighing on this man, as though the force of grief itself is pulling on his face. His hair is whiter than ever. …
Dec 17 2012
200+ Years Ago
MG Siegler: Honestly, I don’t give a shit that you think you have the right to own a gun because someone 200+ years ago said you do to prevent (or allow for) an insurrection or whatever. If this issue is going to be solved, you’re going to have to agree that in the 21st century, …
Dec 15 2012
Statement from the Interplanetary Black Hole Associaton
Everyone knows that Red Matter isn't the problem. Of course, we all grieve at the loss of the planet Vulcan. The billions of individuals senselessly executed by the time-traveling Romulan Nero is a tragedy from which the Federation will likely never recover, and no words can take the pain away from the thousands of off-world …
Dec 12 2012
Alber Saber Convicted of Blasphemy
My heart breaks at the news. I just did a post at Friendly Atheist on Alber’s conviction, and here’s a taste: Egypt has struck a major blow to the fundamental human right to freedom of expression, and unjustly stripped an innocent man of his freedom, as Alber Saber, the 27-year-old atheist activist and blogger, was …
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