I have seen it asserted that Rick Santorum is such a loser that the people of Pennsylvania rejected him and his social agenda. Him, maybe, but before you conclude that they utterly rejected his social agenda, Gentle Readers, take a […]
Politics
Stealth Democracy: A Summary of the Thesis of John R. Hibbing and Elizabeth Theiss-Morse
It was fashionable in the sixties to talk of ‘participatory democracy.’ But John R. Hibbing and Elizabeth Theiss-Morse, of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, claim, on the basis of much research and reading, that that is exactly what the […]
Some Vice-Presidential Speculation, Already
Obama’s recent attempt to force Catholic institutions to act contrary to their beliefs if they serve the public at large has tempted me to cross party lines and vote Republican for President this fall. So I might as well speculate […]
President Obama’s Difficulty with Diversity
The San Francisco Chronicle, not a right wing publication, reports on Obama’s difficulty in getting along with people of diverse opinions. Too much antithesis for him, I guess. Related: “Obama’s 2012 slogan: Can’t work with others” by Debra Saunders at […]
Who is the Santa Claus Party?
After the 2004 election, in which the states that went for Bush formed a relatively neat geographical unity and in all the states that went for Kerry maps and T-shirts were circulating labeling the Republican states as ‘Jesusland,’ I thought, […]
‘Donorcracy’ and ‘Patrimonialism’
Newgeography.com, one of my favorite sites, has deviated from its usual agenda to post this post on what I have called the “donorcracy.” The pursuit of money is more important to every person pursuing electoral office than the pursuit of […]
Suburbs Up, Exurbs Down: California in 2010-11
I had the fortune recently to stumble on the California Department of Finance’s estimates of population change in California during the period July 1, 2010 – July 1- 2011. This is distinct from the Federal census, which tried to establish […]
The Poor and Cars
I am as much in favor of a good public transport system as anyone, but it will, for the foreseeable future, be only a partial solution to our transportation needs. In particular, neither the poor nor the rest of us […]
Occupy and the Teachers Unions
The goals of the Occupy movement are mystifying enough as it is without their apparently accepting the teachers’ unions in their ranks. While admittedly teachers are not among the 1%, they are certainly not among the “least of these,” and […]
‘Smart Growth’ or Housing Opportunity
John Crawford, of Sierra Madre, misunderstands the proper purpose of SB 375. Yes, it is a form of social engineering, but so are the existing policies in those towns forbidding high density housing. Yes, it is mistaken if it is trying […]