Category Archives: Politics

It Can Happen Here

Posted on Tuesday 2 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

I’m not the first to make this observation. Trump’s rise echoes a famous 1935 novel called (ironically) It Can’t Happen Here, by Sinclair Lewis. Wikipedia: The novel describes the rise of Berzelius “Buzz” Windrip, a demagogue who is elected President … Continue reading →

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More About Regression Toward the Mean

Posted on Monday 1 July 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Thought for the day. On the other hand, rather than thinking we must be living in the worst of times (see last Wednesday’s post), perhaps we are merely experience regression toward the mean. I’ve mentioned this notion several times. The … Continue reading →

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The Debate, and the Continuing Christian Insurgence

Posted on Sunday 30 June 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Comments about the debate between Biden and Trump three days ago, on Thursday; Items about Christian Insurgence in Oklahoma schools, and David Barton; And how humans are wired to believe anything their parents or culture tells them to believe, up … Continue reading →

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Are We Living in the Worst of Times?

Posted on Wednesday 26 June 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Or is it only human nature to think so? A Scientific American piece about the denial of reality. Maybe the evidence suggests we *are* living in the worst of times. Short pieces about MAGA infighting and accusations, economists warning about … Continue reading →

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How Language Changes, Sometimes for Political Purposes

Posted on Tuesday 25 June 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Three items from the news the past few days. First, some quotes from a piece about how climate change deniers have refined their game. TNR, The New Republic, Genevieve Guenther, 24 Jun 2024: The New Climate Denial Is Based on … Continue reading →

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Beware Intuition and Common Sense

Posted on Tuesday 18 June 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Three tracks today: Steven Pinker on how democracy and enlightenment values are not intuitive (even though they’ve led to the betterment of humanity); Items about conservative meanings of ‘truth’ and ‘facts’; how evangelicals think sex is only for purposes of … Continue reading →

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Narrative Drives, Reality, and Nothingburgers

Posted on Wednesday 12 June 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

More conservative reactions to Hunter Biden’s conviction, and how they are examples of humanity’s drive to fit any new evidence into pre-existing narrative; Heather Cox Richardson on how reality defies Trump’s narrative; How the extreme conservative worldview includes stoning gays … Continue reading →

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Politics as Fantasy, as Competing Stories

Posted on Tuesday 11 June 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Three topics for today. The Hunter Biden verdict this morning, and how conservatives explain it to fit their conspiracy theories; Religious dimwittery about installing the Ten Commandments into schools; and Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito’s presumptuous allegiance to Christian godliness … Continue reading →

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Incoherence, Lies, Getting Even, and an Apology

Posted on Monday 3 June 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Back to items about conservative politics from the last few days. Trump’s incoherent press conference speech, following his New York City conviction; His lie about never saying “Lock her up” and Fox News’ casuistic excuse; The priority of Republicans to … Continue reading →

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When They Tell You Who They Are, Believe Them

Posted on Saturday 1 June 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Actually it was Maya Angelou who said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time,”, which I looked up after typing the title above. Today’s post is another summary of political items, in this case about … Continue reading →

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