In Defense of ‘Zero Dark Thirty’
Ross Svenson responds to criticism of the depiction of torture in Kathryn Bigelow's latest film.
On the Newsstand:John McCain
Utilitarianism and The Neoconservative Conceit
What J.S. Mill would say about modern American adventurism.
Charting a New Trajectory
The presidential candidates make the case for space as Election Day draws near.
Senator McCain’s Mythic Reagan
Would the Gipper really be disappointed in the absence of hawkish tendencies in this Republican field?
Goodbye J.D. Hayworth?
Nowhere has the clash between the Tea Party movement and the “GOP establishment” been more apparent than Arizona, where former Rep. J.D. Hayworth has been a constant thorn in McCain’s side (his suddenly shrunken left side, to be precise). For a while, it looked like McCain might get tripped up enough in his clumsy race to the right to put the self-styled Tea Party ... Read More
Disgrace. Charlie Crist’s Ungainly Political Manueverings
Disgrace is the only word apt to describe Governor Charlie Crist these days. After being passed up as John McCain’s VP choice, perhaps the apex of his political success, Crist decided to abandon running for reelection for the governorship of Florida, a position he would likely have won easily. Instead, Crist continued a lifelong power-grab, running for the US Senate ... Read More
How Obama Can Save the Environment (Among Other Things)
The Obama administration environmental agenda reemerged on Thursday with the announcement of additional restrictions on strip mining, new fuel efficiency standards for cars, and expanded offshore drilling. These measures may have some merit, but a solution to America’s energy problems will require more comprehensive reform that reduces carbon emissions, eliminates dependence on foreign energy, minimizes economic impact, and is politically ... Read More
Tweet Summary of Halperin/Heilemann Forum
Can you blog Tweets? I don’t know, but let’s give this a try. For those of you who couldn’t spend an hour and a half at the Halperin/Heilemann forum last night, here’s a minute-and-a-half tweet rundown…. Waiting for Halperin/Heilemann forum to start. Definitely not packed. Maybe people are over the 2008 gossip? What about midterm gossip? Bill Purcell just said ... Read More
The Economist: Blame Obama, Not the System
Didn’t want to let this go by without comment. From the Feb. 18 edition (“What’s Wrong With Washington?”): Washington has its faults, some of which could easily be fixed. But much of the current fuss forgets the purpose of American government; and it lets current politicians (Mr Obama in particular) off the hook. America’s political structure was designed to make ... Read More
Brownie Points for John McCain
I remember the day when John McCain used to be that Republican that we Democrats kind of liked. Then came the 2008 presidential campaign. I can’t exactly fault McCain for steering hard to the right; he was, after all, trying to win the Republican primary and then energize the party’s base in the general election. Still, there are plenty of ... Read More
Anti-Atheist Prejudice: Response to the Salient’s Response
I’m glad to see my Crimson column of October 18 is still getting some attention! I had written that discrimination against atheists, both in the legal arena and in the popular mind, is a serious problem — not the biggest problem in the world, but a problem worth noting and criticizing. In his critique of that column, the Harvard Salient’s ... Read More
Let Us Now Praise Famous Losers
Life after losing the Presidency Among the flurry of political maneuvering and intrigue surrounding the vacancy of Edward Kennedy’s Senate seat came the interesting proposition that a suitable placeholder might have been found in 75-year-old Michael Dukakis, a man The Boston Globe assured had “put his political ambitions behind him.” What seemed strange about this idea is not that Dukakis ... Read More
