The Republican Party was elitist, greedy, bigoted, and cruel long before Trump showed up — he simply dropped any pretense of civility and compassion — The term compassionate conservatism was first coined by Doug Wead, a conservative author and commentator, in 1979. But it was George W. Bush who, nearly a decade later, became most responsible for making the concept famous. The philosophy presumed to promote the implementation of policies designed to help the disadvantaged…

Why you can’t reason with crazy or argue with stupid — Before we begin, I would like to offer a friendly word of warning. If you happen to be a Republican, Trumper, conservative, libertarian, or otherwise independent troll who lives to debunk liberal bias, this piece isn’t for you. You’re welcome to read it but don’t be surprised when you find…

An endless supply of strongly-worded OpEds notwithstanding, American liberals are unlikely to rise up in violent protest — I’m not usually much of a worrier. There’s no upside to it. But I do tend to contemplate the worst-case scenario, so that I’m not so surprised, and maybe even a little prepared, when it does happen. So when it comes to the stated objectives of the GOP to try…

When the public square is privately owned, censorship becomes arbitrary, juvenile, and capriciously adjudicated — In the school days of my youth, I got in quite a bit of trouble on what some might call — a regular basis. No serious offenses. No criminal behavior. Mostly it was for petty infractions like insubordination or what they used to call “being disruptive.” I did a lot…

What is a statesman really, but a spokesperson with charisma and gravitas that can inspire a people? — Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine and the leader of the resistance against Russian aggression, was a comedian best know for playing a fake president on television. He unexpectedly won after winning an election where the voters were clearly fed up with the corruption of career politicians and wanted a…

The Democratic Party’s willful blindness to its shortcomings hinders its ability to deliver on the promise of the real American Dream — Italy’s Prime Minister, Mario Draghi tendered his resignation yesterday, triggering the dissolution of Parliament and the scheduling of snap elections in the fall. Since the end of World War II, when Italy became a democratic republic, Italy has gone through 69 governments, or roughly one every 1.11 years. The reasons…

Joe Biden would have made a great 20th-century president but we needed a superhero and he’s but a mere mortal — I don’t think even his most ardent critics would claim that Joe Biden isn’t a decent, honest, compassionate, and intelligent human being. Nor would they question his understanding of how to get things done in Washington after almost four decades of public service. No one questions whether he is an…

The news media is designed to be critical of those in positions of power — holding them accountable regardless of political party — The latest trope that seems to have taken social media by storm is the idea that the mainstream media is making some concerted effort to hurt Joe Biden, or the Democratic Party in general, in order to perpetuate a cycle of outrage and conflict for profit. This isn’t quite a…

Caught between the establishment loyalists and the upstart progressives — and finding myself in an argument with both — There is really very little about me that most would consider moderate. I am reserved in public but often rather inflammatory in my thinking and writing. I don’t tend towards a middle-of-the-road approach to most things, at least not politically, but I do tend to be a fairly practical soul…