Category Archives: Politics

Does Human Morality Progress, or Not?

Posted on Saturday 10 January 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Apropos of nothing else in this post, but anyone following social media will understand. Maybe. Once or twice a year, there is a TV show that I follow obsessively, and watch a second time, at least. Adolescence. House of Dynamite. … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Human Nature, Morality, Politics, The Gays | Leave a comment

The Paradox of MAGA

Posted on Friday 9 January 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

My fascination with this ICE killing in Minnesota is, again, that it’s a perfect example of the paradox of MAGA, if not of conservatives in general. They claim to be Christians, and to revere the Constitution and the US Founders, … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, conservatives, Politics, Psychology | Leave a comment

ICE Thugs

Posted on Thursday 8 January 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Today’s posts are about the Minnesota ICE killing and the responses, from Trump and Vance to Jesse Bering, Jonathan V. Last, and others. An essay by Elay Shech about why we should trust science even though it keeps changing. (Because … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology, Religion, Science | Leave a comment

A Return to the Original Mission: Impossible Presumption

Posted on Monday 5 January 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Conservatives want to see media — now CBS — that tells them what they already believe; How Trump has made fools out of his populist supporters; How the “Donroe Doctrine” is now in effect; And how all of this was … Continue reading →

Posted in authoritarianism, Culture, Politics | Leave a comment

Where We Are, 4 Jan 2026

Posted on Sunday 4 January 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Several headlines about America’s attack on Venezuela; Trump’s peculiar animosity against the Kennedys; And two ideas about patriotism. – – – The State of the Union. Just some headlines. American seems never to overcome its historical sins. The Guardian, Tiago … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Human Nature, Politics | Leave a comment

Where We Are, Here at the End of 2025

Posted on Wednesday 31 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

How Trump has made the government smaller, but not more efficient or dependable; Example of shutting down NASA’s library; Example of cuts to science research; How Trump prefers “vibes” to data; New Yorker’s Susan B. Glasser wonders how people let … Continue reading →

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Steady Encroachment

Posted on Tuesday 23 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Quick takes today. Robert Reich, 22 Dec 2025: Farewell to “60 Minutes”, subtitled “It just went the way of the Washington Post’s editorial page” Once you begin surrendering to Trump, he always wants more. You can’t appease a tyrant. David … Continue reading →

Posted in authoritarianism, Lunacy, Politics, Religion | Comments Off on Steady Encroachment

Documenting My Reading; Holiday Shopping; and Tr*mp

Posted on Thursday 18 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Infrastructure note: I’ve updated all the pages under the “Nonfiction Books” tab in the menu above. I set up those pages a year ago, in December 2024, and updated a few of them in May 2025, and now have updated … Continue reading →

Posted in Conservative Resistance, Human Nature, Personal history, Politics, Website Issues | Comments Off on Documenting My Reading; Holiday Shopping; and Tr*mp

Do People Actually Believe the Things That They Say?

Posted on Wednesday 17 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

Timothy Snyder on Elon Musk, responsibility, and displacement; Adam Lee how on how, despite abortion bans, rates of abortion have gone up; Short items on racism, dual citizenship, dismantling climate research, promoting violence, and snitching and scapegoating. – – – … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Do People Actually Believe the Things That They Say?

Nominalism, and Some Cool Maps

Posted on Saturday 13 December 2025 by Mark R. Kelly

The idea of nominalism, from a 77-year-old book, that seems to have inspired MAGA’s arrested moral development; Apocalyptic speculation in science fiction and in speculative maps; Brief items about Trump’s whitewashing of American history, teaching students how to think, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Morality, Politics, science fiction | Comments Off on Nominalism, and Some Cool Maps