2021 archive
All That Was Old Is New Again 0
Richard Nixon’s “Southern Strategy” has come full circle.
The Republican Party has become the party of racism.
Inflated Fears 0
Professor Richard Wolff joins Thom to talk about the recent inflation numbers.
A little–I emphasize little–inflation is not necessarily a bad thing. I think that a major contributor to the emotional panic we see today at the least little bit of inflation is a legacy of the OPEC fuel embargo of the 1970s. Fuel prices rose starkly (remember gas lines and odd-even rationing?), spurring double-digit inflation rates across the economy.
Part of the legacy of that experience, in my view, is an unreasoning fear of even the smallest hint of inflation, leading to gnashing of teeth, wringing of hands, and stupiding of policy.
The Cowardice of Their Convictions 0
The Des Moines Register’s Reka Basu calls out Republicans’ efforts to ban “critical race theory” and, along with that, honest discussion of American history. A snippet:
It’s too guilt-inducing, they say.
Aside:
Methinks it induces guilt because the guilt is deserved, and they can’t face that.
Or perhaps they feel no guilt and don’t want others to do so.
The Cavalcade of Stupid 0
Daniel Ruth thinks that “the country has gone completely, absolutely full-bore bonkers.”
Methinks he may be onto something.
Vaccine Nation 0
We are a society of stupid.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Greet callers with politeness.
Officials say that Hankins came to Sharpf’s house that night and tried to knock on the side of the house to wake him up. Hankins did not announce himself before coming to the door and Sharpf thought an intruder was outside of the home.
While the rest of of the family was sleeping Sharpf went to the door and shot Hankins on the porch.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Politeness should be demonstrated to patrons of the country club.
According to the press release, someone from Sedgefield Country Club reported that the “victim was dining outside on the patio when a stray bullet struck him in the head.”
In this case, the victim suffered only a superficial injury, but the story also states that, in the jurisdiction in question, the number of shootings of all types has skyrocketed. Of course, this could in no way be related to the number of guns in circulation or the number of persons who may be packing.
Also, pigs, wings.
“The Arc of Deductibles” 0
Thom talks with Wendell Potter about the current state of health insurance.
Visit Wendell Potter’s Center for Health and Democracy.