Category Archives: Politics

ANOTHER VOTE ON UMBRIDGE.

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Philip

ANOTHER VOTE ON UMBRIDGE. A few days ago, I showed Annalisa my draft post about my visceral fear of Umbridge. She sent me this link to an image on Pinterest which shows that I am not the only one who … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Politics | 1 Comment

THE SCARIEST VILLAIN IN HARRY POTTER?

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Philip

THE SCARIEST VILLAIN IN HARRY POTTER? I looked in on Mary Jane while she was watching THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX again, and it occurred to me that of all the villains in the Harry Potter books, I find Dolores … Continue reading →

Posted in Literature, Politics | 1 Comment

THE DEFICIT CRISIS WAS NOT A CHICKEN GAME.

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Philip

THE DEFICIT CRISIS WAS NOT A CHICKEN GAME. I have posted several times about chicken games and how the debt ceiling crisis of last year was often portrayed as a chicken game both by journalists and participants. I posted here … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, History, Politics | Leave a comment

AN UPDATE ON THE NOMINATION PROCESS.

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Philip

AN UPDATE ON THE NOMINATION PROCESS. Last November I posted here about my continuing hopes for a better presidential nomination process—in particular, my hopes for more contested conventions. Elaine Kamarck, a member of the Democratic National Committee, had an article … Continue reading →

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GOVERNMENTS LETTING RAW SEWAGE EMPTY INTO WATERWAYS.

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Philip

GOVERNMENTS LETTING RAW SEWAGE EMPTY INTO WATERWAYS. This New York Times editorial discusses the problems raised by the fact that: “Like many older cities, New York has a combined sewer system where storm water and sewage are carried through the … Continue reading →

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DOES REGIONAL CULTURE AFFECT VOTING?

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Philip

DOES REGIONAL CULTURE AFFECT VOTING? As I posted on here, ever since the 1960 election in which the Democrat Kennedy carried most of the states that the Republican Dewey had carried in 1948 and the Republican Nixon carried most of … Continue reading →

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HOW ENGLAND GOT CABINET GOVERNMENT.

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Philip

HOW ENGLAND GOT CABINET GOVERNMENT. I recently encountered an alternative and simpler explanation of why cabinet government became strong in England after the Glorious Revolution in 1688. I knew that the Hanover kings were chosen by act of Parliament rather … Continue reading →

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WHY NATIONS FAIL.

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Philip

WHY NATIONS FAIL. The Economist (March 10) reviewed the new book by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, WHY NATIONS FAIL. The book takes on the explanation for why some countries have prospered in the last 300 years and others have … Continue reading →

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GRANT—ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY FOR MANY YEARS.

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Philip

GRANT—ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY FOR MANY YEARS. Ta-Nehisi Coates notes that: ‘there’s also a rather nasty political aspect to the charge that Grant didn’t really write his memoirs” and links to this post by Cynic for an elaboration. … Continue reading →

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GRANT’S WRITINGS—THE ORDERS.

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Philip

GRANT’S WRITINGS—THE ORDERS. Professor James M. McPherson argued years ago that Grant’s orders to the generals serving under him showed not only that Grant was an extraordinarily good writer, but also that Grant had written his memoirs himself: “The same … Continue reading →

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