Monthly Archives: May 2010

How to ensure America's decline

Posted on May 30, 2010 by

If you need further evidence that a petty, paranoid, police-state mentality pervades American attitudes and actions toward immigration, you needn’t look to Arizona’s new law or the Pew Research Center poll suggesting Americans support it by a large majority. No. … Continue reading →

Posted in immigration, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Would California's Prop 14 turn elections into carnivals?

Posted on May 27, 2010 by

From Hollywood to high-tech, California has often been the country’s trend-setter.  So the rest of us should pay close attention to the state’s latest big idea, which will appear on the ballot June 8 as Proposition 14. If it passes, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Corporate donors try to buy back a GOP Congress

Posted on May 24, 2010 by

Much has been made of the “grass roots” Tea Party movement, and its ability to energize and mobilize people angry with big government.  Much less, however, has been written about the anger — and financial clout — of wealthy executives, … Continue reading →

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Incumbents, beware: And that means Republicans, too

Posted on May 19, 2010 by

Ever since Scott Brown and his pick-up truck staged an upset victory in Massachusetts’ special election for the U.S. Senate, Republicans have been boasting about their plans to roust Democrats and take over both houses of Congress come November. Plenty … Continue reading →

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Do we live in a growing culture of lies?

Posted on May 18, 2010 by

“This is why I still love newspapers,” Kathy told me across our morning coffee. ‘This” referred to the serendipity of finding two curious stories of aggressive mendacity simply by scanning the front pages of our two morning newspapers. The first, … Continue reading →

Posted in lifestyle, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

There is no joy in Red Sox Nation

Posted on May 18, 2010 by

BOSTON — The catcher can’t throw to second base. The third baseman, picked up for his defensive prowess during the off season, has made seven errors. The ace of the pitching staff has an  earned average that, as a college … Continue reading →

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Tired of long-winded commencement speeches? Try the 1-minute version

Posted on May 15, 2010 by

[youtubevid id="ljvJoFLt3EU"] Former presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy, darling of the left in 1968, gave the commencement speech to the Haverford College class of ’71 in my senior year there. By that time, sadly, he was as boring as he appeared … Continue reading →

Posted in education, Strange | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

No wonder this country is going broke

Posted on May 11, 2010 by

Death and taxes, the saying goes, are the only sure things in life.  But while many Americans don’t feel as if they’re getting off easy — 48 percent say their taxes are too high, a recent Gallup poll found — … Continue reading →

Posted in American wars, federal deficit | Tagged , , , , | 32 Comments

What motivates men like Faisal Shahzad?

Posted on May 6, 2010 by

It is time to ask the question, “Why?” Why would Faisal Shahzad, a 30-year-old, graduate-school-educated American citizen, a husband and father from a “good family,” want to murder strangers in the middle of Manhattan?  Why was he willing to risk … Continue reading →

Posted in Terrorism, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

What passes for Republican 'humor'

Posted on May 4, 2010 by

Can you imagine the reaction of Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck if a prominent Democrat “joked” about Dick Cheney, George W. Bush or Sarah Palin drowning?  I’ve no doubt they’d call for the politician’s resignation, perhaps labeling him a terrorist … Continue reading →

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