The Hastert Rule

. It is such a given so little reflected upon by its participants and observers, that political life leads to cynicism, that even when reflection periodically takes place, much is lost in the glare. Consider in this regard the already commonplace observation that in clambering back atop the “fiscal cliff” on Tuesday, the GOP-controlled House […]

The Palestinian Failure

. Some nations are lucky in their leaders. For decades now, academic historians have downplayed the significance of the leader – the “great man” – in the understanding of historical epochs and focused their attention elsewhere. Still, you cannot study the early American republic without renewed appreciation for the role of George Washington. How lucky was the U.S. again […]

The Culture of Murdoch and a Criminal Enterprise

Sometimes the commodity is a valuable mineral, like gold or diamond. The former is considered so valuable as to require heighted security and protection from criminal acquisition, in the U.S., at Fort Knox. The latter, the criminal pursuit of which is famously high in style and low and deadly, may even receive the epithet “blood,” […]

CNC (Conventional National Convention) Delegate

Stalin Shames Human Race Chimps now hold 10 point lead among likely primate voters I have no larger fossil to fight over with Joshua Green, whom I have until now found an agreeable enough presence at The Atlantic, but it was his roll of the conventional dice to post Rangel Brings Shame on Democrats just […]