Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world
– From “The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats
Majority rules. It’s a fundamental precept of democracy. Yet, in real life it doesn’t always play out that way. Sometimes, the majority can be [...]
The newest star in the constellation that is the Republican Party emerged last night during President Barack Obama’s speech. Since the president shot a sharp glance toward the congressman who had just yelled, “You lie!” South Carolina’s Rep. Joe Wilson has become an overnight celebrity.
“You lie!” Wilson blurted out during President Barack Obama’s health care [...]
Watching the televised funeral mass for Sen. Edward M. “Teddy” Kennedy (Feb. 22, 1932 – Aug. 25, 2009) it struck me once again what a good looking family the Kennedy clan has always been and remains.
Since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, with each Kennedy death that followed, we’ve seen the family [...]
August is usually a slow month for news, so we are spoon-fed anniversaries to contemplate: Hiroshima’s 64th, Woodstock’s 40th, and it was 35 years ago, on Sunday, when Richard M. Nixon resigned from the presidency. Since his death 15 years ago we have been asked to reconsider Richard Nixon.
Fair enough, let’s give the man his [...]
Watching the confirmation hearing for Sonia Sotomayor, President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace Justice David Souter, once again I’ve been struck with how predictable this process has gotten to be.
From AP:
While Souter was appointed by a Republican, President George H.W. Bush, he frequently sided with the court’s liberal bloc on controversial issues such as abortion [...]
Over the last year incompetent leadership in high places has been denounced bitterly in both the private and public sectors. Across the nation calls for better oversight and regulation are increasing and the interest in transparency in government is growing.
As a political issue, “sunlight” is gaining traction.
In this case “sunlight” means ordinary citizens being able [...]