Author Archives: floegel

Born on the First of July

1/8/2004 – 10:26 am

In politics, especially international politics, it’s important that a nation’s deeds conform to its words; that actions taken by a nation, especially a powerful nation, are consistent with that nation’s stated goals. Or not, whichever is most convenient on a given day.

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The Tree of Liberty

1/1/2004 – 5:12 pm

Two thousand four will be the year that determines whether American democracy survives. Although this notion has been growing for some time, two articles from the front page of Monday’s Washington Post confirm the diagnosis. The first was headlined “Army Stops Many Soldiers From Quitting” and said the U.S. Army has issued a series of […]

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The Meaning of Christmas

12/25/2003 – 12:22 pm

Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas; I hope vestigial Santa was good to you. Santa’s always been difficult to spot on Christmas, doing his work in the dark of night, but it seems the spry old elf is keeping a lower profile each year. Down at the multiplex, Billy Bob Thornton portrays Santa as a drunken, […]

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The Elephant

12/18/2003 – 12:10 pm

“The elephant in the living room” is the phrase used to describe an issue too large to ignore, but one that is ignored anyway, because it is also too large to grasp. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the elephant in the living room of left politics in America. We sit around and drink our micro-brewed beer […]

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Look, a Monkey!

12/11/2003 – 9:58 am

The Flying Karamazov Brothers juggling troupe performs intricate feats of throwing and catching, often with objects not designed to be thrown or caught. As a result, there are two or three awkward moments in each performance when the object of the juggle goes sailing past its intended target and crash-lands. At such moments, one of […]

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The New Rules

12/4/2003 – 8:47 am

The day before Thanksgiving, the Bush administration announced it is changing the rule that governs the emission of the toxic metal mercury and other pollutants from utility-owned power plants. This rule change will – of course – allow coal-fired plants to keep belching 48 tons of mercury every year. Check the timing on this. Not […]

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The Guy You Never Heard Of

11/27/2003 – 6:38 pm

Last month, I reported that Greenpeace’s First Amendment rights are under attack by the Ashcroft Justice Department. As I said then, don’t worry about Greenpeace, worry about the rights of the guy you never heard of. That guy’s name is Brett Bursey. On October 24, 2002, President Bush made a stop at the airport in […]

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