I am, as I've mentioned in the past (Family Valued), something of an insomnia driven t.v. watcher. If you're a member of that club then you already know that at some point the viewing choices are thin enough so that the commercials offer more entertainment than the scheduled programming. Having spent more than a few … Continue reading The Riches of Embarrassment
Trump
Another Inconvenient Truth
Michael Bloomberg has, to a limited extent, re-emerged as a presidential candidate in the upcoming 2020 election. He had, on March 5th, ended speculation on the subject by removing himself from the list of possible office seekers, saying that he felt he could do more to help the country in other ways. He also seemed … Continue reading Another Inconvenient Truth
Jewish When Convenient: That Special Tuesday in November
On June 24th, 2018, the New York Post published a piece by Jonathan Neumann entitled "Scar of David". The thrust of his article was that American Judaism was broken, and that the fixation of the left leaning portion of American Jewry on the principle of tikkun olam (repair of the world) was at the heart … Continue reading Jewish When Convenient: That Special Tuesday in November
Ford / Kavanaugh: And Then The Circus Came To Town
In my previous piece concerning the confirmation hearing mess we have been living with I stated that I did not hold an opinion as to whether or not I believed Dr. Ford's accusations against Mr. Kavanaugh were true. As I'm writing this shortly after having finished the previous article (Ford / Kavanaugh: Like It Was … Continue reading Ford / Kavanaugh: And Then The Circus Came To Town
Ford / Kavanaugh: Like It Was Yesterday
We are now several weeks into this mess and I am no closer to an opinion on the central issue than I was on day one. In my mind nothing I have seen or heard has moved me from the place I started in. A woman of more than credible credentials (Christine Blasey Ford) has … Continue reading Ford / Kavanaugh: Like It Was Yesterday
Kepner Revisited
Back in November, 2017, I wrote a piece regarding what seemed to me to be an under-commented upon element of the role I thought the media had played in Donald Trump's successful run for the presidency (Tyler Kepner: Trump's Best Hope For 2020). In it I attempted to make the point that a predominantly left … Continue reading Kepner Revisited
A Farewell to Better Angels
In a speech before parliament (House of Commons) in 1826, John Hobhouse first coined the phrase, The Loyal Opposition. Predicated on the idea that a functioning democracy requires it's legislative bodies to be able to voice their dissent without fear of accusations of treason, it entered the lexicon as a specific term regarding British governmental … Continue reading A Farewell to Better Angels
Candy Cummings, Donald Trump: Closer Than You Think
I first started to think about this piece during the primaries, in late 2015. Listening to a friend (Jim) rail away on the tragicomic nature of a Trump candidacy I couldn't help but try to find an upside to what was, admittedly, the odd combination of amusement and anxiety that the thought of a possible … Continue reading Candy Cummings, Donald Trump: Closer Than You Think
Tyler Kepner: Trump’s Best Hope For 2020
Since last November I've had more than a few people attempt to explain the election to me in terms remarkably unflattering to Trump supporters. These moments have been, in no particular ratio, confusing, amusing and enraging. It's also been a persistent reminder of the intractable nature of the polarizing populism we're suffering from as a … Continue reading Tyler Kepner: Trump’s Best Hope For 2020