Category Archives: conservatives

A Dream of Oceans, and Sunken Cities

Posted on Wednesday 10 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Still enamored by R.E.M., which is why I’ve chosen another of their lyrics for today’s post title. Today: more items about trying to understand the modern world. How false information might be the top global risk in 2024; An example … Continue reading →

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Now is Greater Than the Whole of the Past

Posted on Tuesday 9 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Three items about how conservatives resist solving problems if those solutions would benefit the Democrats; A survey of readers, books they’ve read, books they own, and some of my own statistics; And R.E.M.’s song “She Just Wants to Be” which … Continue reading →

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Basic Principles of Politics, Economics, and Zealotry

Posted on Friday 5 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Three items today. How the Republican strategy has changed; Zero-sum thinking (by conservatives) vs. division of labor and our modern complex society; And fringe items about God-believers and how God made Trump. There’s a commonly understood explanation for the long-time … Continue reading →

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Sources of Meaning

Posted on Thursday 21 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

How the Catholic League finds meaning at Christmas only in its own teachings, while presuming everyone else must be miserable; How Republicans have found tribal meaning in Christian Nationalism; How Republicans search for voter fraud only among populations who would … Continue reading →

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Why Progressives Are Moving to the Right: For a Simpler Story

Posted on Sunday 17 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Busy pre-holiday weekend — making rusks and another batch of lemon bars. So only a single item for today, setting aside yet again the more substantial topics I alluded to yesterday. Here’s one of those pieces where I react to … Continue reading →

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Threat or Loser?

Posted on Saturday 16 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

How Trump is destroying democracy and democratic culture; Or do Trump’s weaknesses assure he won’t win?; Short items about the Satanic Temple, and a new GOP slogan. Here’s a piece that takes a wide perspective on the presence of democracy … Continue reading →

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Stupid or Evil?

Posted on Friday 15 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

The dictatorship theme continues. Are Trump supporters stupid or evil? A WaPo piece gives many examples of statements by them, dismissing his dictatorship intentions; then Salon’s Amanda Marcotte deconstructs them; Her take: “Regular readers know I’m Team They’re Evil, in … Continue reading →

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Picking Up Where We Left Off Yesterday…

Posted on Thursday 14 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Why are many Americans thirsty for authoritarianism?; Why well-intentioned campus speech codes should be abolished; Several items on why the GOP is pursing a Biden impeachment inquiry, despite lack of evidence; How Trump is now conflating himself with God; MAGA: … Continue reading →

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Link Dump from Recent Days

Posted on Wednesday 13 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Catching up on links from the past week, in no particular order. Subjects are: Another take on why people are pessimistic about their economic futures; Trump’s dictatorship: “History shows that autocrats always tell you who they are and what they … Continue reading →

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Red and Blue, and Cancel Culture

Posted on Tuesday 12 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

A succinct characterization of the different cultures of red and blue states, from Jamelle Bouie of NYT; How the kerfuffle between Congress and university presidents is an example of cancel culture from the right, who only believe in free speech … Continue reading →

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