Monthly Archives: December 2011

Ode to an Iowa wrestling match

Posted on December 29, 2011 by

Twas three days before New Year’s and all through the Web, the political pundits were bobbing their heads. The Iowa caucus just six days away and no one was certain which pol would hold sway.  There was Dr. Ron Paul, … Continue reading →

Posted in election 2012, Iowa caucus, Republican primaries | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

When capitalism goes haywire

Posted on December 19, 2011 by

As a kid, I used to pore over baseball statistics. These days, I’m increasingly finding myself obsessing over statistics about income inequality instead. I try to keep in mind that economics, at best, is a shaky science. And, as a … Continue reading →

Posted in class warfare, economic inequality, economics, economy, election 2012 | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

This is no way to run a government

Posted on December 14, 2011 by

I’d like to have a talk with the 12 percent of Americans who still have a favorable view of the U.S. Congress. Unfortunately, I suspect most Americans split the difference, blaming both parties equally for the gridlock that may shut … Continue reading →

Posted in election 2012, government shutdown, legislative gridlock, political paralysis, presidential electiion, Republicans, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The president finds his voice

Posted on December 7, 2011 by

Barack Obama gave a brilliant speech in Kansas yesterday, one steeped in history and explicitly clear in its message. Now, just as there was in Teddy Roosevelt’s time, there is a certain crowd in Washington who, for the last few … Continue reading →

Posted in economic inequality, election 2012, Obama, Occupy Wall Street, Politics | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Musings on contemporary American life

Posted on December 2, 2011 by

Love the cover of this week’s New Yorker.  It is titled “Black Friday” and shows a perplexed gray-haired gentleman looking at a saleswoman in what, we can see from the reverse-lettering on the window, is a “Bookstore.”  Only there aren’t … Continue reading →

Posted in books, generational change, lifestyle, technological change, twitter, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment