democracy Archives - Mark Rubin

Politics: What a Mess!

October 22, 2022

Politics: What a Mess!

Mark Rubin

Schadenfreude: The Bannon Thing

Schadenfreude. Taking pleasure in another person’s misery. Not my thing, mostly, but every “not so much” provides a basis for exceptions.

I encountered Steve Bannon more than 25 years ago. My partner sued him and I went to work on the case soon after. I only suffered through being in this man’s presence once, but that contact – coupled with the actions that supported the lawsuit – offered many reasons to dislike him. (The actions that formed the basis for the suit provided better ones.)

It took me moments, when Americans started hearing about this guy, to realize I knew him and had sued him. Candidly, the only doubt occurred

carly simon, democracy, gas prices, Ian Hamilton, Joanna Simon, Lucy Simon, polls, Steve Bannon, voter intimidation

The Rest of Everything

Justice Brett Kavanaugh

September 3, 2018

Mark Rubin

Justice Judge Brett Kavanaugh

Brett Kavanaugh

The Senate Judiciary Committee begins its hearings on the Supreme Court nomination of Justice Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Tuesday, September 4. Here’s the schedule, not that anything about the process will affect the outcome.

Judge Kavanaugh sits presently on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He has served on that court for a dozen years. Prior to his appointment he did the private / public shuffle, working for Ken Starr on the Clinton Whitewater (Lewinski) case, the Bush II White House, and for Kirkland & Ellis.

Judge Kavanaugh meets the legal requirements for service on the Supreme Court. He’s a sentient being, and

Brett Kavanaugh, democracy, Democrats, Merrick Garland, Neil Gorsuch, president barack obama, President Donald Trump, Senator John McCain, Senator Mitch McConnell

Law, The Rest of Everything

Democracy in the Age of Ignorance

March 11, 2018

Mark Rubin

Democracy in the Age of Ignorance

democracy ignorance

Promise Keeper

President Donald Trump sells himself as a promise keeper. From 36,000 feet, one constant in his first year-plus as POTUS has been his “I’m keeping my promises” statements.

Much has been written about those promises, kept and broken. We’re passing on that here, except to note that while the record probably looks okay if we compare Mr. Trump to his predecessors, it sucks if we’re judging his presidency by his primary measure: keeping promises. (No one should measure promises quantitatively, for they’re not all equal.)

Does keeping promises matter? “Depends” should be the answer. And in the Age of Ignorance, depends should end up “no” almost always.

North Korea

Most recently—and impulsively

age of ignorance, democracy, foreign aid, kim jong un, President Donald Trump, tariffs

The Rest of Everything