Political Essays
An Open Letter to the Political Class
The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.
Hubert Humphrey, 1977
Ideology Versus Reality (2013) examines the extent to which free market ideologues fail to perceive the real world as it actually is and the consequences to society that result from their failure to come to grips with reality.
Something to Think About (2014) examines the proposition that less government, lower taxes, and deregulation lead to economic prosperity for all by examining the changes in the concentration of income at the top of the income distribution and the average real income at the bottom over the past one hundred years within the historical context in which these changes took place.
Why Democrats Lose Elections (2015) attempts to explain why those on the left should stop trying to explain why deficits and debt are not important and start talking about what is important.
On Sanders and Political Practicality (2016) explains why I see Sanders as the only hope we have in this election.
Some Notes on Republicans and Torture (2009) examines the Bush/Cheney torture policy and the problems this policy presents to our society. The parallels between the rise of the Republican Party over the last forty years and the rise of the Nazi Party during the 1920s and 1930s are examined, and it is argued that those who torture must be held accountable for their actions.
Why Blame Republicans? (2009) examines some of the consequences of the 1929 crash and the Great Depression that followed along with some of the lessons to be learned from this experience. The way in which the Republican Party has dominated the political debate in our country for the past forty years is also examined along with the role played by the Democratic Party in bringing on the economic crisis we face today. The essential role of government in providing a civil society and economic prosperity is discussed, and it is argued that the Republican Party's incessant attack on government over the last forty years is the central cause of the worldwide economic catastrophe we face today.
On the Conservative View of Government (2009) is a short note on the way in which our government has been viewed in the political debate over the past forty years.
How a Conservative Would Balance the Federal Budget (2013) examines an article published in Forbes Magazineby Jeffery Dorfman, a conservative economist, that attempts to explain how the federal budget can be balanced without increasing taxes. .
It Makes Sense If You Don’t Think About It (2011) examines how the imaginary world created by propaganda has led to our economic problems today and how this imaginary world is going to affect our government and economy in the next few years. Below are some examples of right-wing propaganda:
How Propaganda Works (2011) provides a commentary on the complete text of the of the piece of propaganda examined at the beginning of It Makes Sense If You Don't Think About It.
Is This Really Going to Fix Congress? (2010) provides another example of the kind of anti-government propaganda referred to in It Makes Sense If You Don't Think About It that makes no sense if you think about what the propaganda is actually asking you to believe.
On Stella Award Emails (2013) discusses Stella award emails that are designed to promote the eliminate civil protections in our legal system against corporate negligence and fraud. Again, it makes no sense at all if you think about it.
Social Security If You Are Dead (2013) analyses an anti-government email that is designed to undermine our system of social insurance even though it appears to be a rant defending the rights of Social Security beneficiaries. It is a prime example of the kind of email that obviously makes no sense, if you think about it.
Feeding the Bears provides another example of right-wing nonsense with an article from the Yellowstone National Park Foundation explaining the reality of bear feeding.
Ideology and Fiscal Crises (2014) examines the way in which ideological nonsense has led to a situation in which the private sector of the economy has created the fiscal crises in the public sector.
Some Notes on Right-wing Propaganda (2009) examines the nature of the propaganda put out by the Right-wing Propaganda Machine, how this propaganda works, who generates this propaganda, and who is affected by it.
The Utopian Capitalist's Grand Delusion (2013) examines the ideological logic of the Right-Wing Propaganda Machine, how it is funded, and why it is dangerous.
The Rise of Utopian Capitalism and the Crash of 2008 (2009) explains the ideological basis of Utopian Capitalism and the Free Market Movement this ideology spawned. It also examines the nature of ideological thought, the utopian view of reality that underlies the Utopian Capitalists' system of beliefs, the fundamental delusion on which this system of beliefs depends, and why these ideologues are dangerous—why they are willing to ignore the Constitution, wage preemptive wars, and implement a policy of torture to further their ends.
Bibliography lists books and videos of the congressional hearings referred to in the papers on this website and is broken down into various categories. Most of the videos are stored in the C-SPAN's archive and can be viewed on your computer by clicking on the corresponding link. Links to other online videos that are relevant are also provided. I give a very short, one or two sentence summary of each book, and the title of each book is linked, whenever possible, to reviews by readers that are published by Amazon.com. These reviews will give you some idea of what others think. The author's name is generally linked to an online biography of the author. An alphabetical listing by author is also provided.
