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A Nation at Dusk: Goodnight Moon; Goodnight America
By Michael Stafford on Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
Addressing Congress on May 25, 1961, President Kennedy challenged America and set a seemingly impossible goal- sending a person to the moon by the end of the decade. Kennedy’s ambitious dream was realized by the Apollo program, and, since that time, manned space exploration has been an intrinsic part of both America’s national character, and its vision of the future. As a result, our retreat from the final frontier is a clear illustration of the ...
Earth Day: Empowering the People
By Michael Stafford on Thursday, April 19th, 2012
April 22 marks the 42nd anniversary of the first observance of Earth Day, and there is much to celebrate. We’ve made remarkable progress in protecting the environment since 1970; today the Cuyahoga River no longer burns. And we’ve also mustered the political will to address major threats to the environment such as acid rain and the impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) on the ozone layer. However, there are dark clouds on the horizon. The Tea Party ...
Conservative Crush Porn
By Michael Stafford on Thursday, March 29th, 2012
Conservative political advertisements are becoming increasingly unhinged. Herman Cain was already known for his odd political ads during his brief presidential candidacy. Since leaving the campaign trail, Cain’s explored new artistic ground in a series of anti-stimulus advertisements that feature fish being tortured and bunnies being shot. Yes, Herman Cain is apparently now producing the political equivalent of conservative crush porn. Perhaps his next ad will feature Sarah Palin in stilettos stomping on bugs? Take ...
GOP Stuck in a Conservative Wonderland
By Michael Stafford on Wednesday, March 7th, 2012
The Republican presidential primary field has been reduced to four candidates- Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, and Ron Paul. Together, they are a veritable four horsemen of the political apocalypse- a quadrilateral of doom, despair, division, and diminished horizons. These candidates offer nothing positive for America’s future, and are an indictment of the political party that produced them. The election of President Obama seems to have pushed the far-right wing of the GOP across ...
The Science of Intimidation
By Michael Stafford on Monday, January 23rd, 2012
According to an old legal adage, when the law is against you, argue the facts. When the facts are against you, argue the law. And when neither is on your side, pound the table. Today, conservative climate change deniers, faced with a growing and increasingly persuasive body of evidence supporting the theory of anthropogenic global warming (AGW), have adopted a version of this approach. Except, lacking a table, they are pounding the scientists instead. In ...
The Republican Crisis
By Michael Stafford on Friday, December 9th, 2011
“These are the times that try men’s souls” wrote Thomas Paine during the darkest days of the American Revolution. Today, the GOP is facing its own crisis. It has reached an intellectual and spiritual nadir. And this is a crisis that tries not only men’s souls, but also their political allegiance. The Republican presidential primary has been a celebration of ignorance- from the early rise of Donald Trump in the polls due to his embrace ...
Why Occupy? Steerage is Getting Restless
By Michael Stafford on Tuesday, November 15th, 2011
Dirty hippies. Lazy losers. These phrases capture the essence of the conservative reaction to the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protests. To be sure, conservatives have raised some legitimate concerns about the protests- such as the presence and influence of anarchists or communists, and instances of boorish behavior that have sometimes crossed the line into criminality. It’s also easy to dismiss protesters who often can’t articulate precisely what they hope to achieve. But criticizing the Occupiers ...
Our ‘Horrible Legacy’
By Michael Stafford on Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
Reducing the greenhouse gas emissions driving global climate change isn’t a top priority for many voters this election cycle, and the politicians have noticed. With the notable exception of Jon Huntsman, and, on his better days, Mitt Romney, the entire Republican presidential field denies that climate change is even occurring. Indeed, denial has become part of the conservative ideological creed- a prerequisite for membership in the tribe. Meanwhile, President Obama has done nothing to indicate ...
The Red Tory Abroad
By Michael Stafford on Sunday, October 16th, 2011
England’s “Red Tory”- Phillip Blond- has experienced every political philosopher’s dream in the United Kingdom, where his ideas have fundamentally altered the framework of the political debate on both the right and the left. Now, he’s wrapping up a multi-state speaking tour in the United States, and hoping to replicate his success here. He’s set himself a difficult task. According to Blond, “he current political consensus” in both the United States and the United Kingdom, ...
Solidarity: Saying Yes to Justice
By Michael Stafford on Monday, October 10th, 2011
Love demands candor. Today, America is marred by growing inequality, constricting opportunity, and increasing social alienation. We are haunted by anxiety and insecurity about the future. And we have become so atomized that we often feel powerless to do anything meaningful about it – a perception that gives rise to growing despair and desperation. Some on the right and the left have taken to the streets in protest. Despite their many differences, they share a ...