So it seems that Tim Russert died today. Can’t say I’m too upset about that–I don’t know much about him, never watched any of his shows, and I am typically uninterested when news figures die (similarly, I didn’t wring my hands overmuch when Peter Jennings died).
That said, Wikipedia very briefly gave me another example of [...]
I’ve tried really, really hard to not jump the gun in this 2008 election season and support one candidate or another, not so much because I want to see where the cards fall, but because it’s been more important to me to determine a candidate’s efficacy based off his or her prior words as contrast [...]
I am, by no reasonable metric, a fan of the armed forces. I don’t personally know anyone who has greatly benefited from being involved, nor can I come up with a particularly poignant reason why our current military has to be as expanded as it is. I fail to see why we need to dump [...]
Wayne Allard is an old white guy who works in Washington, a Senator elected from my state of Colorado. I write him often regarding his steadfast support and creation of legislation spelling out marriage as a union between one man and one woman. He wrote me back today.
Dear Stephen:
Thank you for contacting me to express [...]
I’ve got money on the brain today.
This month I was hired to sing with a church here in Denver called Saint Gabriel’s Episcopal The choirmaster was the organist briefly at my parents’ church, St. Mary’s Anglican Catholic and when he needed a strong bass to come in, he knocked on my door. I’ve never been [...]
Elections are necessary but not sufficient to establish genuine democracy. Aspiring dictators sometimes win elections, and elected leaders sometimes govern badly and threaten their neighbors. History demonstrates that democracy usually follows good governance, not the reverse.
- Rudy Giuliani, Sep/Oct issue of Foreign Affairs
I know Giuliani is talking about Iraq in this quotation, but… couldn’t he [...]
One of my favorite politicians in all of American history is Barry Goldwater. It was his ability to speak his mind, whatever the consequences, that made him both a horrible candidate for any national office, and a man I would cheerfully call one of the few truly decent men I’ve ever heard of.
We are told [...]
I knew someone back in high school whose first name eludes me but whose last name was ‘Seaman.’ I can imagine he spent much of his life experiencing the mockery and jeers of peers. I imagine his parents never even considered that.
He was in the marching band with me. He played the Tuba, I [...]
I saw a homeless guy, recently. He was just standing on the corner outside my office, happy as can be, I imagine. Not a care in the world. Dirty clothes, sweaty face–didn’t bother him any. Wore a novelty American flag as a pseudo-mohawk on his head. Big, out of style sunglasses. I was downwind, could [...]
Bill Clinton will be joining his wife this week in Iowa.
I was wondering when she’d roll out the big guns. I guess the points she’s continuing to lose to people with real, new ideas finally pushed her to bring out the only weapon in her arsenal that can defeat Barack, Edwards, and all the rest [...]
Signs were posted everywhere here in Denver over the preceding several weeks about the 3pm moment of silence yesterday to reflect on the meaning behind Memorial Day (née Decoration Day). On busses, on street poles, on lights, on the ground–wherever. Just remind people that the US has lost a lot of blood all over the [...]
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m somewhat of a pessimist when it comes to the direction that our politicians, those men and women we have chosen to represent us to the world, are taking this great country of ours. You don’t have to be Edgar Cayce to prophesy that these fine men and [...]
According to this article McCain is apologizing for saying that American lives were being “wasted” in Iraq. He says he meant to say “sacrificed.” And that “sacrifices” are never wasted.
Mr. John McCain and Ms. Karen Finney (the DNC (Democratic National Committee) spokeswoman) need to get their acts together. Most of the country believes that lives [...]