Category Archives: Government

Borowitz — “What Happens Now?”

Nixon’s landslide victory in 1972 made him appear invulnerable. He wasn’t. (Cindy Yamanaka/MediaNews Group/The Riverside Press-Enterprise via Getty Images) Maybe you’ve been asking yourself: 1. “How could Donald Trump have won 51 percent of the popular vote?” 2. “How hard … Continue reading

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What should Trump’s opponents do next?

by David French in the NYT (thanks to Put B.) There is no mystery about what happened Tuesday night. Unlike 2016, when the anticipation of Hillary Clinton’s victory turned into the shock of defeat, every smart analyst I know not … Continue reading

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The all-female mobile health team working against the odds in Afghanistan

From the International Rescue Committee in August 2022 (after the Taliban took over in 2021) Despite countless hurdles, all-women teams of medical doctors are braving long distances and treacherous terrain to bring health care to the remotest villages in Afghanistan, … Continue reading

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Voting for the Light

The religious imagineer (thanks to Mary Jane F.) Pablo Picasso, La Minotauromachie (1935). Picasso’s turbulent etching from the eve of the Spanish Civil War seems a timely image of my own country in this harrowing election season. The monstrous beast towers over … Continue reading

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Charlie Chaplin’s greatest speech

Thanks to Pam P. But before that comes this scene.  I’m looking at Putin.

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The will of the people

“Fellow-citizens,” Lincoln reminded his colleagues, “we cannot escape history. We…will be remembered in spite of ourselves.”   Commentary by Heather Cox Richardson I’m home tonight to stay for a bit, after being on the road for thirteen months and traveling through … Continue reading

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This Is Not the End of America

By McKay Coppins in The Atlantic (thanks to Alice W.) Everything about the staging of Kamala Harris’s “closing argument” rally Tuesday night on the White House Ellipse seemed designed to frame the upcoming election as a referendum on democracy. Flanked by … Continue reading

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Hell yes! The Seattle Times edit board endorses Harris for president

By Frank Blethen and Kate Riley – Seattle Times publisher and Times editorial page editor As one of the country’s very few family-owned and -operated metro newspapers left, The Seattle Times is also apparently one of the few whose editorial board is … Continue reading

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“Floating pile of garbage”

Commentary by Heather Cox Richardson I stand corrected. I thought this year’s October surprise was the reality that Trump’s mental state had slipped so badly he could not campaign in any coherent way.  It turns out that the 2024 October … Continue reading

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Why, why?

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Commentary by Heather Cox Richardson

A bombshell story last night from the Wall Street Journal reported that billionaire Elon Musk, one of the richest men in the world, who is backing the election of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump with a daily million-dollar sweepstakes giveaway … Continue reading

Posted in Ethics, Government, Politics | 2 Comments

Resistance to Public Health, No Longer Fringe, Gains Foothold in G.O.P. Politics

The merger of the Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald J. Trump campaigns puts the so-called medical freedom movement on the cusp of real power in Washington, with a new slogan: “Make America Healthy Again.” By Sheryl Gay Stolberg in the … Continue reading

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It’s getting more bizzare — and dangerous

Commentary by Heather Cox Richardson As the two presidential campaigns position themselves for the final sprint to the election on November 5, the difference between them is dramatic.  Trump is hunkering down behind what has always appeared to be a … Continue reading

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A history of the “stolen” 2020 election by Heather Cox Richardson

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John Green, Jodi Picoult, Angie Thomas join publishers in lawsuit fighting Florida book bans

From GoodGoodGood – thanks to Pam P. Authors John Green, Jodi Picoult, and Angie Thomas have three things in common: They’re all majorly successful writers, their books have been banned in states across the country, and now, they’re joining a lawsuit to fight … Continue reading

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A Russian dissident speaks out

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Reasoning about why we vote the way we do

Thanks to Mike C. Ed note: I grew up in the mostly red state of Ohio–a state that has produced more President’s than all others (7) except for Virginia (8). To understand Trump voters, you might want to read David … Continue reading

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Debate analysis – Heather Cox Richardson

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First Atlantic cover with no typography or headline in 167 years

Thanks to Mike C.

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My Grandma Has Dementia. Should I Help Her Vote?

By Kwame Anthony Appiah, The Ethicist in the NYT My grandma has relatively advanced Alzheimer’s disease and hearing loss. At 97, she’s still present enough to recognize her loved ones and enjoy our company, but it’s becoming nearly impossible to communicate … Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Dementia, Ethics, Government, Voting | 1 Comment

Election history in context by Heather Cox Richardson

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Is Tim Walz the Midwestern Dad Democrats Need?

Ed note:  Kamala Harris announced that Tim Walz will be her running mate. This interview with Ezra Klein covers many issues and hopefully will help VP Harris waltz with Walz into the White House. By Ezra Klein in the NYT (listen … Continue reading

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US voter registrations surge — even as Republicans try to limit ballot access

Ed Note: Please check out Vote.org for more information. Thanks to Pam P. The group behind a popular get-out-the-vote technology platform said Friday that it’s registered more than 100,000 new U.S. voters since President Joe Biden withdrew from the 2024 … Continue reading

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Who Was Freed in the Prisoner Swap Between Russia and the West?

Here’s a list of the 24 prisoners who were exchanged on Thursday and their backgrounds. By Ivan NechepurenkoValerie Hopkins and Alina Lobzina in the NYT Twenty-four prisoners were freed on Thursday in a multicountry exchange in Turkey, marking one of the broadest exchanges … Continue reading

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Democracy–all at once

by Heather Cox Richardson

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