I expect it from men, but few things look and sound more ugly than a loudmouthed woman wearing a baseball cap, bellowing with raucous laughter in a sports bar. Most members of Congress seem so dumb because they are. The current state of American democracy makes the best case for other forms of government. Do […]

Many people on the political left are frustrated, including me. We are frustrated with hearing liberal arguments and points of view with which we agree, only to realize that their proponents have no practical ideas and/or no will to enable action to promote their beliefs. Tom Friedman and President Obama are unfortunately good examples. Friedman […]

The notion of “exceptionalism” in the United States has come to mean that we are a nation of such far-above-the-norm excellence socially, politically and economically compared with the other countries of the world, that “our way” deserves their admiration of, if not their allegiance to, our policies and pronouncements. And those in America who might […]

Having spent four days in Cairo during the mass protests that have led to the ousting of Hosni Mubarak, I would like to offer some observations regarding how, as a tourist — particularly a Jew with an American passport — one should behave during a Muslim revolution against a corrupt and repressive government. I do […]

This famous lyric from the Simon and Garfunkel song Mrs. Robinson, laments the loss of the relative innocence and simplicity of days gone by, for which ironically the Yankee Clipper threatened to sue, not understanding that he was being held up as an icon of virtue, not as he apparently thought, being lampooned.  His name […]

“Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson. He might just as well have been talking about John Mara, co-owner of the New York Giants football team, who is preparing a new contract for Tom Coughlin, their head coach, because, said Mara, the Giants believe in consistency. What consistency is he […]

“Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson.  He might just as well have been talking about John Mara, co-owner of the New York Giants football team, who is preparing a new contract for Tom Coughlin, their head coach, because, said Mara, the Giants believe in consistency. What consistency is he […]

In most of the blogs I have written, it is probably an understatement that I show considerable, and admittedly often intemperate, disgust with Republicans.  But in re-reading my political tirades, I see little to nothing of the content that I would take back, although I might amend the aggressive tone now and then.  But there […]

The die is cast.  And the Republicans have made it clear that they are ready to leave America for dead. Senator Mitch McConnell has announced that the primary objective of the Republican Party is the defeat of President Obama in 2012.  What they have already clearly shown is that they will use their new majority […]

Now that the Republicans control the House of Representatives and have enough votes in the Senate to block any legislation they oppose, President Obama and his advisors are scrambling to find some position consistent with their presidential campaign pledge to raise taxes on those individuals earning $200,000 per year (or couples earning $250,000) to the […]