How GOP obstructionism empowered the presidency
Published: MSNBC (January 11, 2015)
Listening to Rep. Louis Gohmert’s (R-TX) revanchist logic for his failed bid to oust John Boehner as speaker of the House earlier this month, you’d think the tea party wing of the Republican Party had been working with President Obama. “[We’ll] fight amnesty tooth and nail.
‘The Interview’ Has A Smart Argument That Deserves Respect
Published: Good Men Project (December 28, 2014), The Daily Dot (December 30, 2014)
The Interview has been getting a lot of sympathy but, from a critical standpoint, not a great deal of respect. After seeing the film twice, I find this attitude a tad dismaying.
For those who haven’t seen the movie and wish to watch it with a fresh set of eyes, there are two things you should know:
1) At its core, The Interview has a remarkably insightful thesis about human nature and politics—namely, that people respond more to theatricality, sensationalism, and emotional appeals than they do to facts and reason.... Read Original Article
The ‘War on Christmas’ isn’t real – but these 6 Yuletide controversies are
Published: Daily Dot (December 25, 2014)
The nativity, whether on a church lawn or brazenly displayed at City Hall, is a fixture of American Christmases—as is, of course, controversy. While arguments over nativity scenes trend toward questions of the separation between church and state, nativity scenes gone wrong run the span from bizarre, to funny, to actively offensive.... Read Original Article
The dangerous double-standard of liberal ‘Social Justice Warriors’
Published: Daily Dot (December 9, 2014)
If you’ve logged onto the Internet recently, chances are you’re used to seeing progressives in the role of victim. In addition to its sexist undertones, Gamergate has largely been a right-wing movement, an explosion of cultural reactionary sentiment against feminist criticisms of female representation in video game content and culture.... Read Original Article
Jeb continues a Bush tradition: Capitalizing on GOP obstruction
Published: MSNBC (December 7, 2014)
While he remains cryptic about his ultimate intentions, Jeb Bush has let America know that if he runs for president in 2016, he will do so by promising an administration that is “much more uplifting, much more positive, much more willing to be practical” – in short, the complete opposite of the status quo in Washington.