Category Archives: Politics

Idiots, Disingenuous, or Both?

Posted on Thursday 23 May 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Republicans misinterpret, either naively or maliciously, boilerplate language about use of force by the FBI as a plot by Biden to assassinate Trump; Thoughts about accountability; Testimony from Stew Peters and Steve Bannon, both presumably self-proclaimed Christians, about their plans … Continue reading →

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Liberalism and Its Discontents

Posted on Friday 17 May 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

David Brooks on how authoritarians have momentum, because liberalism doesn’t appeal to people’s needs for a higher metaphysical meaning; Biden and Trump: appearance and reality; Double standards at Fox News about Butker and James; Republicans about Trump: loyalty vs. principles; … Continue reading →

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Keeping Things In Perspective

Posted on Wednesday 15 May 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

How Biden is less unpopular than leaders of other major nations; How 17% of voters blame Biden for the end of Roe (that is, many voters are not paying attention); and how I think many voters select a presidential candidate … Continue reading →

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Robert Reich on Red vs. Blue

Posted on Tuesday 14 May 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Robert Reich on red vs. blue states; Shorter items about the eagerness of Republicans to kill people (not just dogs); MAGA blaming Biden for Red Lobster; Red states anxious to discriminate against LGBTQ students; a pastor who apparently truly thought … Continue reading →

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Stupid Lies

Posted on Monday 13 May 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Trump’s stupid lies; How conservatives do not trust people to make their own decisions; Heather Cox Richardson on how we got here; A Republican who boasts about cheating homeless people; On a positive note: Ali Velshi on NPR this morning. … Continue reading →

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Friday 10 May 2024

Posted on Friday 10 May 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

A round of assorted items collected on the web the past few days. Here’s that item about what universities are for, that I couldn’t find the other day. The Atlantic, Derek Thompson, 8 May 2024: No One Knows What Universities … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Morality, Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on Friday 10 May 2024

Illiberalism, and the Wood Age

Posted on Sunday 5 May 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

“Illiberalism” and its history in the US; How perhaps the “Stone Age” is perhaps better described as the “Wood Age” — how science can update stale conclusions; How some “smart people” hold noxious conspiracy theories too; Kristi Noem would have … Continue reading →

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Ideology, Principles, and Fantasy

Posted on Wednesday 1 May 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

How Project 2025 is based on misconceptions; Heather Cox Richardson on Trump’s plans and how many people seem to welcome them; Slate on how Trump waffles on the abortion issue; And how Arizona’s repeal of the 1864 abortion ban undermines … Continue reading →

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Monoculture and Tribalist Thinking

Posted on Tuesday 30 April 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

Travel perspectives; Is everything a cult now? If so, the word has lost all meaning; Is religion just a tribal marker? Then why do so many Christian zealots want to impose their beliefs on others, to the point of executions? … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Psychology, Travel | Comments Off on Monoculture and Tribalist Thinking

How Rugged Individualists Cannot Solve Global Problems

Posted on Wednesday 24 April 2024 by Mark R. Kelly

A note about my trip tomorrow to Austin; How Mike Johnson characterizes Republicans as “rugged individualists,” yet who can still not get along to solve actual problems; How Trump’s policies would increase inflation, and his fans haven’t noticed; More about … Continue reading →

Posted in Morality, Personal history, Politics, Psychology | Comments Off on How Rugged Individualists Cannot Solve Global Problems