Category Archives: Politics

Growing Pains

Posted on Wednesday 22 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Perspective on humanity’s growth into a global civilization; Perhaps religion is a kind of story-telling crucial to human evolution; How Christian support of Trump is making GenZers less like to attend church; Bernstein: Mahler 5. – – – Big picture. … Continue reading →

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Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson: ABUNDANCE

Posted on Tuesday 21 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

(Avid Reader Press, March 2025, 288pp, including 66pp of acknowledgements, notes, and index.) This book takes the optimistic stance that we are capable of building what we need, and that we can solve many of the problems we perceive today. … Continue reading →

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The End of Reading?

Posted on Wednesday 8 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

The decline of reading, and all that that means; And how MAGA folk don’t understand why the rest of us aren’t pretending anymore. It’s about conscience. – – – Things that generations take for granted can change and be gone. … Continue reading →

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The New Commie Threat

Posted on Monday 6 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Robert Reich on the Commie threat, a tired Republican charge, recalling McCarthy; Lazy Republican thinking about communism and current kids these days; Twisted thinking about religious liberty; A video of Paula White, presidential spiritual advisor; Stephen Miller, divine providence, and … Continue reading →

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The 250th, Patriotism, and the Sin of Pride

Posted on Saturday 4 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

On the bright side, 25 reasons to be optimistic about the future; 5 questions that will determine America’s next 50 years; Connie Willis relates some potential optimism in the decline of MAGA; Why Americans are living longer; Nicholas Kristof on … Continue reading →

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About the Appeal of Stories

Posted on Friday 3 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

How the great books appeal both to literary standards and our lizard brains; With my speculations about the appeal of science fiction; July 4th. The Guardian on how the US is a global citizen gone rogue; how the stain on … Continue reading →

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What Is This About Democratic Socialists?

Posted on Thursday 2 July 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Jonathan Chait thinks they’re bad; Jerry Coyne echoes his animus; Robert Reich sees a different trend, more exciting than democratic socialism; While Paul Krugman thinks “most of us are social democrats”, which seems to exhibit the way these words are … Continue reading →

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The Conservative Ethos: Tribalistic, Xenophobic, Autocratic

Posted on Tuesday 30 June 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

How the Supreme Court repeatedly gives Trump the license to discriminate (never mind “all men are created equal”); Robert Reich on the Court’s decision to let Trump fire officials in government agencies whenever he likes; Robert Reich on how the … Continue reading →

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The Arrogance of the Devout

Posted on Saturday 27 June 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Texas inserts Bible readings into public school instruction, only some of them related to literary works; Adam Roberts reviews Disclosure Day, with insights similar to my own; Gubbins: Dismal turn-out for Trump’s rally; right-wing paranoia about Dems. – – – … Continue reading →

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Human Nature and American Self-Esteem

Posted on Friday 26 June 2026 by Mark R. Kelly

Another story about a European loving his American experience, and also how Americans need this kind of validation; Brief items about Trump Derangement Syndrome, the demonization of Anthony Fauci, how Christian Nationalist candidates should conceal their agendas, and why there … Continue reading →

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