Category Archives: Politics

Leaving Off with 2023

Posted on Monday 1 January 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

It’s 2024! Let’s see where 2023 left off, based on links I collected over the past week while traveling. Twenty-two items below, including these topics: Thom Hartmann on GOP scams; Roger Rosenblatt on New Year’s Resolutions; Mike Johnson’s alliance with … Continue reading →

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Progress in 2023

Posted on Sunday 31 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

For this last post of the year, I’ll link several year-end pieces about progress in the world, where most people see only continued doom. (I’ll do a separate post, about progress against my goals in my own life, soon.) NY … Continue reading →

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Before Holiday Break

Posted on Friday 22 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

Quick post, likely the last one for several days, perhaps a week. Topics: RFK’s lies; Big Think’s “Explain It Like I’m Smart” series; How the humanities have become more political; the most mystifying open questions in science; why a university … 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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Small-town America and Democracy; Competitive Exclusion; and How that Flat Earth Debate Worked Out

Posted on Saturday 9 December 2023 by Mark R. Kelly

How small-town America hasn’t been good for democracy; How conflicts like Palestine/Israel might be resolved through evolutionary concept of “competitive exclusion”; Quick takes about that flat Earth debate based on scripture; how different Christians claim diametrically opposite things; and Slate’s … Continue reading →

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