Cry, the Beloved Country

January 9, 2016

Cry, the Beloved Country came into my mind earlier this morning, less because of the story it tells about pre-apartheid South Africa, and far more because it so aptly describes my country.

To say we live in interesting times does an extraordinary injustice to the phrase “interesting times.” “End times” fits the bill far better. I have been sentient for 14 presidential campaigns—Goldwater – Johnson in 1964 through the present embarrassment, and I’ve never seen a campaign come close to disgracing our nation as badly as this one has.

The leading candidate in the Republican Party held a rally in Vermont. Leave aside for a moment the utter vacuousness of the words coming out the man’s mouth, and the fact

Continue reading...

Where Art Thou, Grown Up Republicans?

November 27, 2015

I woke up on Thanksgiving morning thinking about the Republican Party, and about Republicans. I was wondering where the grown ups are. What happened to the merchants, bankers, land developers, etc.? Main Streeters? And Wall Streeters?

I posed the question because Republican Party primary polls—whether state-by-state or in the aggregate—show Donald Trump leading, consistently and by not insignificant margins. His positions are anathema to the business community, writ small or large. He dumbs down everything. He thrives on division and incivility. In the words of a gentleman lawyer with whom I worked many years ago, he’s not a “quality person,” and if my friend was still alive he’d be a horrified Republican.

Coming up on the outside rail is Senator

Continue reading...

Daley and de la Torre on Palin

October 29, 2015

William M. Daley is a former White House Chief of Staff and Commerce Secretary (and Mayor Dick Daley’s son and Mayor Richie Daley’s brother.) So when he talks politics, he deserves our attention.

On October 25, Secretary Daley wrote The GOP’s dysfunction all started with Sarah Palin for the Washington Post. I read it, and it resonated. Then, on October 27, I read Dr. Laura de la Torre’s two pithy paragraphs on Facebook. With permission, here’s what she wrote:

I respectfully disagree. Saying that Sarah Palin was the start of Republican dysfunction is like saying the amputation of the toe was the start of the diabetes. It’s true that it all got worse after that – now the

Continue reading...

The First Amendment (and Donald Trump)

July 6, 2015

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Today’s lesson involves “abridging the freedom of speech” and nothing else.

The text of the First Amendment only refers to Congress making no law. However, the Fourteenth Amendment bars states from making or enforcing “any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States,” and also precludes any deprivation of “life, liberty, or property without due process of law.” Bottom line?

Continue reading...