December, 2017 archive
Religious Fervor Fever
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PoliticalProf muses on separation of state and religion as viewed by the framers of the Constitution. The piece is short and worth your while.
Remember, when the Founders wrote drafted the Constitution, witch trials were still within living memory and religious wars with their grandparents’ memories. (Yes, I know that, in “religious” wars, religion is often be a proxy for, or, at least, mixed with other things, such as economic oppression, and bigotry, even population pressure; we can see that today, too.)
Afterthought:
I live about two miles from a street called “Witchduck Road.” It has that name for a reason.
Speaking of Which . . . . 0
In The Charlotte-Observer, attorney Jim Bolin excoriates the argument that refusing to a wedding cake to a customer because one does not “endorse” the customer’s views or identity is somehow “protected speech.” A snippet:
The Descent 0
Lee expresses concern about the quality of nominees for public office. (Warning: Language.)
How Stuff Works, Legislation Republican Style 0
I submit that, based on their behavior in attempting to get their bills through Congress, a strong argument can be made that Republicans no longer are a “party.” They are a conspiracy.
Via Job’s Anger.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
. . . and another responsible gun owner’s gun decides to fire itself.
If more folks were packing here in NRA Paradise, no doubt this would not have happened.
Also, pigs, wings.
A Crucial Distinction 0
The Portland Press-Herald’s Greg Kesich muses on the recent torrent of news (not “allegations,” news) of sexual misconduct by powerful persons, almost all of them men. A snippet (emphasis added):
I commend the entire piece to your attention.
A Handmaiden’s Tail 0
Warning: Language and scorn and lots of them.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Another random act of politeness.
This is a “responsible gun owner” in action.
Newspeak 0
We have gone from the sublime to the ridiculous.
The forbidden words are “vulnerable,” “entitlement,” “diversity,” “transgender,” “fetus,” “evidence-based” and “science-based.”
More at the link.
And the Morals of the Story Are . . . . 0
Werner Herzog’s Bear draws some lessons from the recent Alabama Senate special election. Here’s a couple; follow the link for the rest.
5. BUT: let’s be honest, a candidate like Strange would have probably beat Jones pretty handily.
6. That last point shows the Republican Party has a continuing problem of letting its base choose candidates in the primary who are repulsive to the general electorate. See Todd Aiken, Joe Miller, etc.
The Galt and the Lamers, Republican Roulette Dept. 0
Dick Polman looks at the Republican tax deform bill and tries to figure out, why, for Pete’s sake, just why are they rushing ahead with this monstrosity.
Twits on Twitter 0
You can’t make this stuff up.
QOTD 0
Rex Stout:
Anyone has the privilege of offending who is willing to bear the odium.
Stout, Rex, Too Many Cooks (New York: Pyramid, 1963) p. 72
Not Helping 0
Afterthought:
Don’t let the cat near your touchscreen. It will not end well.
