politics

Why I’m Volunteering for Obama

October 18, 2008

Today I asked campaign volunteers in Westminster, Colorado, why they are dedicating so much time to getting Barack Obama elected. Here are their answers.

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The Streets of Colorado

October 17, 2008

Last Sunday, a cold, dreary fall day in this part of Colorado, I went out canvassing to find out who’s going to vote for Obama. I arrived at the local HQ (a storefront in a strip mall near a Costco) around noon. A guy explained to me at length what I was supposed to do, [...]

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Americans’ Phobia of Socialized Medicine

October 11, 2008

I am baffled by the people I encounter in this country who think that “socialized medicine” is evil. I’m not sure how they arrive at this conclusion. It seems that, for some, anything they can label “socialist” is automatically frightening. But we have state-run fire and police departments and military (among many other things), and [...]

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On the Phone for Obama

October 10, 2008

I spent an instructive couple of hours this evening making phone calls on behalf of the Obama campaign. Yes, I am one of those annoying people who interrupts your dinner to ask who you’ll be voting for. (I’m in Colorado, one of the few states where the answer actually matters.) I’ve had a fear of [...]

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Conversation with My Daughter

August 28, 2008
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Popular: Barack and Hillary

July 17, 2008

My first foray into political satire. What do you think? download for iPod

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Foresight

July 26, 2006

“As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.” H.L. Mencken, July 26, 1920

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Someone Remind Me – Why Am I Paying US Taxes?

July 26, 2006

The US is one of the few countries in the world that requires its citizens to pay income tax no matter where they are actually living. I’m beginning to wonder why I bother. I am dubious that the Social Security system will be worth much by the time I retire, and I won’t be in [...]

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Crimes of Opinion

February 23, 2006

Italy’s Laws on Opinions You’re Not Free to State Italian law on “crimes of opinion” has recently (Jan 25th) been revised as follows (excerpted and translated from here): “…Safeguarding of [all] faiths, instead of [just] the state religion [i.e., Catholicism] …Article 404 – (Offenses against a religious faith by means of vilipendio [~insult] or damage [...]

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Pirate Politics

September 16, 2004

The Usenet, that free-for-all haven of digital pirates, is an interesting place to observe grassroots political opinion. Generally, any new movie is uploaded (made available, illegally that is) for only a week or two around its release date, but “Fahrenheit 9/11″ has been uploaded over and over again for months. Michael Moore has said that [...]

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The Greeks

August 30, 2004

A few months ago we watched The Greeks, a PBS (American public television) series which I bought on DVD because Ross was studying ancient Greek history. From this account, it appears that the Athenians invented not only democracy, but also politics as we know it today. The way PBS tells the tale, Themistocles, an Athenian [...]

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Where’s the Music?

July 17, 2004

I’m old enough to remember the late 60s/early 70s and the protests against the Vietnam war. I grew up singing protest songs, both rock and folk. So here we are, protesting again – but where’s the music? Michael Moore reportedly was upset because he couldn’t use The Who’s Won’t Get Fooled Again in “Fahrenheit 9/11,” [...]

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War is Virtual Hell

July 5, 2004

I’ve seen Michael Moore’s Farenheit 9/11. Very disturbing in so many ways that I won’t go into – whether you agree with Moore or you don’t, this film is not likely to change your mind. But one thing in particular, peripheral to Moore’s arguments, jumped out at me. The film shows an American TV ad recruiting [...]

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