Category Archives: Electoral Politics

The Money Primary

Early in the Republican primary race to see who would challenge Bill Clinton in 1996, then-Texas Senator Phil Gramm said, “The only primary that counts is the money primary and I’ve already won it.” Mr. Gramm raised and spent an impressive $20 million, but he was nonetheless out of the race before New Hampshire citizens […]

Growin’ Up

In the summer of 1979, a few months after the accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear plant, Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) staged the “No Nukes” concerts in New York City. One of the acts, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, took the stage to a tremendous roar from the audience. Many […]

Ric Was Right

At the beginning and end of 2004, I wrote here that it would be the year that determined whether America would remain a democracy. The axis upon which that question turned was whether George Bush would receive a second term in the White House, but there was more to it than that. Through that year, […]

Slime of War

If there can be a good war, then World War II was it. It was an unambiguous battle between good and evil and the good guys won. Another bonus was – oddly – the universal draft that pulled men from all walks of life and ranging in age from late teens to early 40s. The […]

Double American Standard

Idaho Republican Senator Larry Craig is all over the news this week after the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reported he’d pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor following his arrest in a restroom in the Minneapolis airport. According to police reports the senator, seated in a stall, tapped his foot, then scooted it toward an undercover […]

President Jeb

The past six and a half years have offered plenty of opportunities for reflection and regret and most of the “what if” scenarios played out have involved an honest election in Florida in 2000. But there’s a different “what if” scenario that might achieve the impossible – make us believe we’re not suffering the worst […]

Keep the Faith

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 […]