Author Archives: Mark R. Kelly

Is There a Big Picture to Make Sense of All This?

Adam Lee on our current age of “stupidity” and whether or not the stupid can bring down society; The commentariat: Catherine Rampell on the naked Trump; Robert Reich on Trump’s “national emergencies”; Paul Krugman on Trump’s war on American greatness; … Continue reading

Posted in authoritarianism, Conservative Resistance, Politics | Leave a comment

How Trump and MAGA illustrate Fundamental Principles

How my posts about current politics, including Trump and Musk, are about illustrating fundamental principles; Trump simply doesn’t understand trade; David Brooks on how conservatives have changed; A Christian law-maker who thinks “critical thinking” includes teaching about God; Short items … Continue reading

Posted in Conservative Resistance, conservatives, Human Nature, Lunacy, Music, Religion | Leave a comment

About Yesterday’s Protests

Against Trump and Musk; Anti-DEI is whitewashing the history of the Underground Railroad; Jill Lepore on Elon Musk and his retro ideas; A Vox piece about astrology that panders to believers; And about Brandolini’s Law, in which debunking misinformation takes … Continue reading

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Leave a comment

How Long Can Humans Live in Fantasy Worlds Before Reality Kicks In and Fights Back?

Mike Lofgren on the nonsensical cult that now rules America; Peter Wehner on how Trump is gaslighting us; Rachel Maddow points out how Peter Navarro’s go-to expert is fake; And about critical thinking; Two short items about how insurers are … Continue reading

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Lunacy, Psychology | Leave a comment

Unstable Moron, and His Fans

Heather Cox Richardson on reactions to Trump’s tariffs, including Canada’s reaction and how Republicans hope this will somehow all work out; Jonathan Chait on how Trump has already botched his plan by suggested he might negotiate; Aside about my motivation … Continue reading

Posted in conservatives, Human Nature, Lunacy, Politics | Leave a comment

“Liberation Day”

Trump’s “Liberation Day” of tariffs for virtually every country around the world — except for Russia! — might well wreck both America’s, and the world’s, economy; With Paul Krugman’s expose of their “formula”; A reminder from Robert Reich, from 2018, … Continue reading

Posted in Human Nature, Lunacy, Politics | Leave a comment

This is how these things happen

NYT’s M. Gessen on how the police state has arrived; A WaPo reporter goes looking for the “corrosive ideology” Trump thinks is in the Smithsonian; The next Project 2025 goal is to restore the ideal heterosexual family, and diminish everyone … Continue reading

Posted in Art, authoritarianism, Economics, Politics | Leave a comment

A Post-Pandemic Malaise?

Thoughts about whether the pandemic has led to autocracy around the world; How that, and inequality, have left Americans in a sour economic mood; A graphic illustrating how those who want to privatize everything think everything is about making money; … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Human Nature, Politics | Leave a comment

What Is the Venn Diagram Between Whitewashing and White Supremacy?

Signalgate and white mediocrity; How we are seeing tribal impulses eroding the high ideals designed to overcome them; How the Trump administration is indifferent to refugees… except for whites from South Africa; Jill Lawrence at The Bulwark about Trump’s bid … Continue reading

Posted in conservatives, Morality, Politics | Comments Off on What Is the Venn Diagram Between Whitewashing and White Supremacy?

I read the news today, oh boy.

How mold is taken as a miracle, another example in an endless series throughout history; Short items about Trump, tariffs, and auto prices; lying about American history; how “make America healthy again” means the opposite; how a vaccine expert has … Continue reading

Posted in Human Nature, Psychology, Religion | Comments Off on I read the news today, oh boy.