Politics
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Dems Need to Keep Some Perspective
Greenwald today: If those who spent the last eight years vigorously opposing the radicalism, militarism, and anti-constitutional abuses of the Bush administration fail to oppose the Democratic leadership with equal fervor when they violate the same principles — as they inevitably will — then the humiliation of the Right and its removal from power will
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American Unexceptionalism
Would it be such a bad thing to lay aside the burden of indispensability and be ordinary again? I think it would be relief. A humbled America would allow us Americans to be ourselves without all the pretense that we are more than we are, that we are exceptional in some way. We're not, we
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Quote of the Day: Chris Hayes
But if, in the actual lived world of politics, Hayek has mostly been honored in the breach, then what to make of that rump caucus of the right that still clings to him? That is: how seriously should we take the intellectual tradition of the free-market right? Was it all just a convenient front for
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Conservatism’s King Lear Moment (Updated)
There is a rich treasury of conservative thought waiting to be mined, contemplated, reinterpreted and adapted for our particular time and culture. Read Nash, then read further. We need to think hard within our own intellectual tradition. We need to understand why it is that we're losing people, especially the young. To disdain intellection and
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Quote of the Day: Tom Engelhardt
In the last year, the Bush administration's top officials have sunk much of their increasingly lame-duck energy into pacifying Iraq, and so getting it out of the news and the spotlight at least long enough for election '08 to happen (and undoubtedly long enough as well for them to get out of town in January).
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Second Debate (Updated)
I was working tonight so didn't see it. Have it taped, but probably won't watch it. Quick scan of online reaction suggests that it was not interesting enough to sit through and Obama won it pretty much the way he won the first one–maybe this time he was a little more assertive. Whatever. The race
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VP Debate
I don't disagree with the conventional wisdom about this debate. Palin did as well as could be expected in a format where there are no follow-up questions. She was able to say what she had been prepped to say. As a result she helped herself and staunched the bleeding. But that should be no cause
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Quote of the Day: Daniel Larison
It is easy to talk about principle when there is no crisis happening and no risk attached to standing on principle. The real test comes when holding fast may actually cost something. Holding to a principle, if it means anything, means that you value it more than mere self-interest, satisfaction or comfort. A lot of
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The First Debate (Updates 1 & 2)
Some quick thoughts: McCain's goals: On economic policy: cut spending, particularly earmarks and pork. Key to foreign policy: we're winning in Iraq and victory there must be achieved no matter what the cost. He also wanted to make Obama look like he's naive and doesn't understand how things work. "Obama doesn't understand . . ."
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An Enormity Awe-Inspiringly Surreal
The whole political situation has taken on a bizarre, surreal quality. 2000 and 2004 were weird, but this one is for the ages. I am made stupefied and nearly speechless by it. To proceed as if we are involved in anything that is sane or normal is about the most insane thing anyone could do.