Category Archives: Commentary

Middle-Aged Men

9/26/2002 – 3:20 pm

Two middle-aged men crossed my path last week, both of them talking about war. The first was Vice President Dick Cheney, who came to Burlington last Thursday to give a pep talk to Air National Guard pilots and ground crews. Once that short chore was finished and Mr. Cheney could technically charge his massive travel […]

By floegel | Comments (0)

Only a Game

9/19/2002 – 3:18 pm

What if it’s all just a game? In recent weeks, George W. Bush has accused Saddam Hussein of bad sportsmanship in Iraq’s dealings with the United Nations and the western powers. According to Mr. Bush, Mr. Hussein advances and retreats, “crawfishes,” cooperates one day and impedes the next. George Bush is right, that’s exactly what […]

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Keep the Faith

9/12/2002 – 3:16 pm

It’s been a terrible year. We have all found renewed purpose and patriotism, we’ve all regained a badly needed sense of perspective, but few of us have fond memories of the past 12 months. It’s not just about terrorism and international politics. The last year has seen 300 Roman Catholic priests removed from their positions […]

By floegel | Also posted in Civil Liberty, Electoral Politics, Iraq Invasion, September 11th | Comments (0)

Where’s Warren?

9/5/2002 – 3:14 pm

Warren Anderson is a wealthy man. He lives near the Atlantic Ocean. In the summer months, Mr. Anderson and his wife Lillian live in the Hamptons, on Long Island. In winter, they live near the Florida coast. In 1984, Warren Anderson was chief executive officer of the Union Carbide Corporation. In December of that year, […]

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Unfinished Business

8/29/2002 – 3:12 pm

I’ve been spending my free time listening to Bruce Springsteen’s new CD, the one about the aftermath of September 11th. I can’t exactly say I’m enjoying it, but I appreciate it. The words and music are a reminder of the depth of our personal and national wounds and how fresh they still are. It’s hard […]

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Rich Man Wins

8/22/2002 – 3:10 pm

Once upon a time, in Washington DC, I was invited to join a weekly poker game. The first week, I found myself in a cash game with no limit on bets or raises. I rarely got to see the cards of the successful gambler that night, because the outcome of more hands was determined by […]

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The Devil You Know

8/15/2002 – 3:06 pm

If you spend any time watching Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s press briefings, sooner or later you’ll hear him do his bit on “knowns and unknowns.” Mr. Rumsfeld divides threats to the U.S. into three categories: “knowns,” something like the size of the Iraqi air force; “known unknowns,” something like the Iraqi biological weapons arsenal – […]

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