Political campaigns are like a jumble of improv artists crowded onto a stage, with two or three directors working with two or three competing scripts. When the audience walks away thinking that they saw “that play,” and not “the other one,” then the relevant director wins. I actually used to do something like that as …
Republicans As Abusive Former Boyfriend
So, then, it appears that the electorate remains surly. And it also appears that the unpleasantness is being manifested by means of internecine conflict within the Republican party, at least to this point. The old guard politicos are, to use the technical jargon, freaking out. The most striking example of this was the defeat of …
Most of Us Aren’t That Cute
People who follow trends are often very bad at reading them. People who read trends are often reluctant to join in the general merriment because they actually know what is being said. G.K. Chesterton once commented how gloriously wonderful and bright and cheerful Times Square would be . . . if you didn’t know how …
Warholian Christians
There are, of course, some observations to be made from the Koran burning in Florida on Saturday. But for the farce to be given full justice, we really need more time. That limitation confessed right up front, here are just a few thoughts. The first point is that Andy Warhol lives. The media response to …
Dealing with Nuisance Lust
Note: this is an imaginary Christian couple, assembled as a composite from various counseling situations. Dear Tony, Thanks for the email and the follow-up phone call. I am glad you decided to get help with this, and I am glad that you and Suzanne are talking about it. A central part of this letter will …
Audio Reading of Post
Seven Things for Christians to Not Sip at the Tea Party
I think it goes without saying that biblical Christians will vote in November in a way that favors basic pro-life issues, supports a return to some form of fiscal sanity, and rejects all attempts at legislative gender-bending. So much goes without saying. So I am not so much concerned about how our folks vote, for …
Debt as a Basic Human Right
I heard a commentator say the other day that we need to keep the Federal Reserve around, known hereafter as the Fed, because don’t we always need a lender of last resort? I mean, what are we going to do without a lender of last resort? Well, maybe we might not borrow trillions of dollars …
Voting On What to Do With the Class IV Hemmorhage
While the political scrum is messy, as it always is, a narrative is starting to emerge. If we change the metaphor from rugby to movies about Transylvania, that narrative appears to be that a large number of peasants with pitchforts and torches will be assembling at the Castle of the Ruling Elite this coming November. …
It Just Keeps Getting Better . . .
The Republicans of Connecticut have picked Linda McMahon to run for the U.S. Senate. She made her millions in the very odd world of professional wrestling, and I have already seen more than one airing of a video clip in which she is holding a microphone and kicking someone in the crotch, professional wrestling style. …
Miscreants, Scamps, Poltroons and Punks
A number of years ago I had the privilege of serving as a foreman on a jury, and I bring this up as an illustration of a principle that the American people may be in the process of rediscovering. We shall see. The principle is called nullification, and there are different places it can show …