This is politics in plain English for normal people and the common good.

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Kids Should Vote

It’s not as crazy as it sounds. The voting age has always been more or less arbitrary. It was 21 before it was 18, the age an American can be drafted into fighting a war. The argument that grown ups are more rational, and therefore more capable and responsible, is pretty much defeated by the…

Hope makes room for the impossible

I’m told my writing can be bleak. I suppose that’s true. That’s not my intent, though. My intent is to talk about politics and the political past plainly so we can take future action. Most often, we the people misunderstand our politics, and take the wrong action. American history shows us taking one step forward,…

A tree (and hope) grows in New Haven

I’m told my writing can be bleak. I suppose that’s true. That’s not my intent, though. My intent is to talk about politics and the political past plainly so we can take future action. Most often, we the people misunderstand our politics, and take the wrong action. American history shows us taking one step forward,…

My child’s view of the president

I don’t write about my daughter because that’s best tack to take for a public forum like the Editorial Board. I do want to share something she did recently, though. ERS is 8. She’s sensitive and caring and precocious. After I asked her to draw a picture of how she feels about the president, she…