Impartiality?
Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Hillary Clinton apparently ignored this: The Charter of the Democratic Party says the Chairperson shall exercise impartiality and evenhandedness as between the Presidential candidates.
Letter to the editor in Bellevue Reporter, on attack ads and Litzow
On the day the primary election ballots arrived in my mailbox, I also received an attack ad, from a group opposed to 41st LD state Senate candidate Lisa Wellman. Wow, they’re starting early this year! In 2010 her opponent, Steve Litzow, won by about 200 votes because of last-minute attack ads sent out by an…
Should we eliminate the secret ballot?
In April of this year, The Free Thought Project published an article Land of the Free? Harvard Study Ranks America Worst in the West for Fair Elections in which it says As if further proof could possibly be needed of the sorry state of the American electoral process, a new study just ranked the United…
A question for opera lovers
Many opera critics say that if a singer (such as Andrea Bocelli) needs a microphone to sound good then they’re not an authentic, great opera singer. But is that fair and reasonable criterion? Why are volume and the ability to project over an orchestra valued so highly? I’d much prefer to hear a musical, beautiful…
Response to Jonathan Rauch's "How American Politics Went Insane"
In a lengthy article in The Atlantic, How American Politics Went Insane, Jonathan Rauch diagnoses dysfunction in American politics as being caused by a breakdown of party structure and the rise of extremist outside groups such as the Tea Party who can’t be controlled. Rauch’s proposed solution to our political dysfunction is to bring back…
Quickie: How Long Can Big Money Keep Democrats In The Charter School Camp?
From http://educationopportunitynetwork.org/how-long-can-big-money-keep-democrats-in-the-charter-school-camp/: For decades, the petroleum industry has stuffed the coffers of candidates in both parties to ensure legislation continues to favor oil consumption, stall alternative energy sources, and ensure lax environmental regulations. The other source of corporate cash in Democratic politics is much newer: charter schools. … …the combo of big oil and education…
Responding to Bill Maher on Islam
In response to the massacre in Orlando, Bill Maher criticized conservatives for opposing gun control and criticized liberals for refusing to blame Islam. As a liberal I can respond: “Sure, radical Islam is a problem but (1) the West provoked them by attacking numerous Muslim countries and by supporting brutal regimes. (2) It’s only a…
The Law of Conservation of Good and Evil
Science has physical laws such as Law of Conservation of Energy. I propose the sociological Law of Conservation of Good and Evil.  In systems/people/institutions to which it applies, the LCE says that over the long run, the amount of good and evil evens out.  It’s an empirical question whether the law applies to specific systems…
Conservatives kill again: they value gun rights more than the right to life
Our nation’s lax gun laws have led to another mass shooting.   USA Today is reporting that the Florida shooter Omar Mateen used a .223 caliber AR-type-rifle and 9 mm semiautomatic pistol… The FBI had investigated Mateen twice before the shooting, but found inconclusive evidence and were not able to charge him with a crime. The AR-type-rifle Mateen…
The Divided Left revisited
The Divided Left in America is a major problem, and it’s come to fore in the discussions on social media about whether Bernie should run as an independent and about whether Bernie supporters should work within the Democratic Party. Progressive Democrats are desperately trying to reform the Democratic Party but lack numbers. As a result…