Monthly Archives: August 2015

Trump: Unlimited Hypocrisy

Posted on August 31, 2015 by mthayes42

Trump says he will not eat Oreos again because the company is moving some of its production facilities to Mexico. I wonder if he refuses to buy any of the high-priced ties he imports under his own name from China? … Continue reading →

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Turn America into a Defensive Fortress

Posted on August 31, 2015 by mthayes42

Hannity on Fox News says we should deport all illegal immigrants and build walls the length of our borders with Mexico and Canada. The bizarre, incredibly irrational right wing is amazing. They are against government spending, yet propose these two … Continue reading →

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Messy Democracy

Posted on August 26, 2015 by mthayes42

Democracy is undoubtedly the least efficient form of government imaginable. Tyranny is probably the most efficient but its cost is horrible. Democracy, messy though it may be, is the one system of government which comes closest to embodying justice. The … Continue reading →

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The Wisdom of Ol’ Sam Pufendorf

Posted on August 24, 2015 by mthayes42

A German writer made his point quite accurately: Our politicians “being divided into factions, they are more concerned to ruin their rivals than to follow the dictates of reason.” That seems a disastrous state of affairs, when political leaders value … Continue reading →

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Lincoln and the Republicans

Posted on August 23, 2015 by mthayes42

In an blog post a few minutes ago, I mentioned some of our national heroes, including my own favorite, Abraham Lincoln. Let me note a quick thought as I ponder dear ol’ Abe. I notice that the Republican party frequently … Continue reading →

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Removing a Painting of Jesus from a Public School

Posted on August 23, 2015 by mthayes42

A public school in Kansas recently removed a painting of Jesus from a hallway because of a complaint from a group advocating separation of church and state. Such an deed is emblematic of a very serious cultural problem in America. … Continue reading →

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A Shrine in Bangkok

Posted on August 18, 2015 by mthayes42

A few years ago I sat for an hour or so on a bench in an outdoor Hindu shrine in Bangkok. In front of me was a golden statue of a Hindu god, five or six feet high and surrounded … Continue reading →

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The Center (of Western Culture) Cannot Hold

Posted on August 14, 2015 by mthayes42

Just after the First World War, the Irish poet W. B. Yeats — whose own life seemed to have no center — wrote of his vision for the 20th century: Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is … Continue reading →

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Trumping the Republicans

Posted on August 11, 2015 by mthayes42

Very clearly, the support for Donald Trump is based on the appearance of no-nonsense honesty people see in him. While I share the frustration most Americans feel about the poorly functioning federal government, I have two problems with Trump. (Well, … Continue reading →

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Trump’s Trivia is Getting Old

Posted on August 10, 2015 by mthayes42

A recent writer on the CNN website complained that the media doesn’t ask trump any policy questions. They just keep treating him as if he were a celebrity but not as if he were a candidate for the most responsible … Continue reading →

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