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Exceptionalism, Irony and Political Action
When the Puritans arrived in the New World in the seventeenth century, they believed they were the Chosen Ones, placed in the Promised Land by the hand of God. They had extricated themselves from the oppressions and inequalities of the ancien régime and, in hopeful moments, fantasized that the iron laws of decay endemic to western civilization might
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In Spite of it All.
This summer we are seeing the age-old conflicts of American political life played out in the context of health care reform. The progressives steamroll forward, while conservatives attempt to erect any roadblock they can. Centrist factions emerge – here the Blue Dogs — seeking political gain
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Sunshine Is The Best Disinfectant
Devra Davis nearly died from taking a popular painkiller. She later discovered that previous lawsuits exposed that the manufacturer knew the drug could be lethal, but used judicially approved secret settlements to conceal the information from the public. Alarming? It should be. The story is not
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Has The Blogosphere Failed Us?
For over forty years, three major news stations — ABC, CBS, and NBC — the Associated Press, and a few large newspapers were the primary means by which most Americans got their news and learned about political issues. During this period, there was little, if any, partisan-style debate by
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Change or Dopamine?
When the stock market started creeping up this week, the money pundits immediately began buzzing and babbling — Is this the rebound? Did we just hit bottom? It might be time to buy. Get in now. You could be rich next year, or maybe even tomorrow. Why are we so reactionary? MIT finance professor
Government According to Limbaugh
What is the proper role of government in our society? Ronald Reagan staked out the conservative position in his first inaugural on January 20, 1981 when he famously stated: “Government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem.” This is the view that takes government
Support the Open Primary Ballot Initiative In California
Are you exasperated by the partisan bickering and gridlock in Washington that continues despite the best efforts of an enlightened, forward-looking President? What about the ideological rancor within the California legislature leading to over three months of an embarrassing budget stalemate, while
History, Joy, Hope, Irony, and Sadness: Remembering January 20, 2009
History and Joy: January 20, 2009: The day after the Martin Luther King Holiday, over 40 years after Martin Luther King suggested that within 25 years there would be a black president, 147 years after the declaration of the emancipation of slaves, 232 years after the creation of a nation that promised
Health Care: What Can You Do?
In 2007, national health expenditures were $2.3 trillion, and are increasing at a rate 2 times the rate of inflation. That’s $7,600 per person. These expenditures represent 16% of the GDP. (The figure is 9.7 percent in Canada and 9.5 percent
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New Year’s Resolution
Most of us make New Year resolutions. Do you follow through on them? One website lists as its top resolution “Spend more time with family and friends.” That’s a good one, and telling. Our obsession with our
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