This is politics in plain English for normal people and the common good.
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Latest Articles
What Trump Doesn’t Get about the Statue of Liberty
It’s a monument to slavery’s end and the rise of a liberal democracy.
White Envy of Black Patriotism
Reaction to 1619 Project reveals love of country built on sand.
Hates Crimes Are Domestic Terrorism
Hatred isn’t new. What’s new is hatred with easy access to massive lethality.
When Republicans Stop Believing
A recession would mean the president’s lies no longer work.
‘He’s so insecure’
You hear it all the time. “He acts that way because he’s insecure.” Take guns, for instance. He bought a gun because he feels insecure. He acted out because he feels insecure. He did terrible things to others because he feels insecure. So if he felt more secure, he wouldn’t do that? I’ve always felt…
For White Evangelicals, It’s Not About Fear
Attributing fear to sadism gives sadists too much credit.
Actually, White Evangelicals Are Sadists
To them, being punished for being gay, trans or “illegal” is divine justice.
From ‘We’re Broke’ to ‘Build the Wall’
In retrospect, the Tea Party was a nascent fascist movement.
Our credulous news media
This morning’s news was a former Trump aide saying the Republicans should pick another candidate for the 2020 election. Jonathan Swan reported his phone interview with Anthony Scaramucci. “We are now in the early episodes of ‘Chernobyl’ on HBO, where the reactor is melting down and the apparatchiks are trying to figure out whether to…
The moment we break faith
I can’t stop thinking about this poem by James Baldwin. So much of liberal democracy entails trust in each other, in our willingness to contract and covenant with each other, and in our obligations to respect and honor each other for our collective benefit. To have a democracy, we must have faith. When we break…