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Category Archives: American Politics
If You Overemphasize Test Scores, Don’t Be Surprised When People Cheat to Raise Them
Last Monday, Michelle Rhee condemned a USA Today investigation of the successes that Washington, DC, public schools achieved under her tenure. From 2006 to 2010, most of which saw Rhee as chancellor, the percentage of students in Crosby S. Noyes … Continue reading
Where Are Your Grocery Dollars Going?
In March, the USDA released the newest figures in a series of data entitled The Food Dollar; an annual breakdown of food prices that tracks where each dollar spent on groceries actually goes. The results are startling. For 2008 (the … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, Food, Geopolitics, Labor, Technology, The Economy
Tagged corn, Ethanol, Farm Bill, Farmers, Food Commodities, Food dollar, local food, oil, small farms, Supply and demand, Sustainability
2 Comments
Freedom of Offending
“Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of offending culture, religion or traditions.” –Staffan de Mistura, the top U.N. envoy in Afghanistan, who is wrong about that. It feels weird having to defend a bizarre, craven Christian-supremacist.
Posted in American Politics, Geopolitics, Religion
Tagged catholicism, David Petraeus, Hamid Karzai, Hillary Clinton, Islam, Joe Klein, Koran, Rudy Giulliani, Staffan de Mistura, Terry Jones
18 Comments
Because We Like Our Tofu Well Done
But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, “Son, go work today in my vineyard.” He answered, “I will not,” but afterward he changed his mind, and went. He came … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, Geopolitics, War
2 Comments
Conscientious Consumerism (or Why I’m boycotting Target, but still eating Chick-Fil-A)
The CEO of Whole Foods is a libertarian who doesn’t support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Target gave $150,000 to a conservative Minnesota Political Action Committee that endorsed an anti-gay candidate for governor. S. Truett Cathy, the founder … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, Sexuality, The Economy
Tagged Boycott, Conscientious Consumerism, LGBT, Money, Target
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Why Republicans Are Winning & We're All Losing
I’ve had a life-long love of politics. I love debating, I love learning about law and policy and how it is made, how it is shaped. I love talking about law and policy with people who disagree with me, and … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics
Tagged Chutzpah, Conservatism, Democrats, Family, language, Liberalism, morality, Policy, Politics, Prof. George Lakoff, Republicans
2 Comments
Worst Hundredth Birthday Present Ever!
100 years ago at 29 Washington Place, New York, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory went up in flames and down in history as the largest man-made disaster in New York until 9/11. The fire forced New York to see its most … Continue reading
Felipe on the Bottom Rung
I try not to get personal in these blog posts, but sometimes… I am a teaching artist who is currently in the first of a four-year research project to determine the efficacy of arts education in improving fluency in English … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics
Tagged austerity, Brooklyn, homelessness, New York City, poverty, public schools
2 Comments
Because We Like Our Hamburgers Raw
Yesterday, the UN Security Council voted unanimously, apart from Russian, Chinese, German, Indian and Brazilian abstentions, to authorize the imposition of a no-fly zone and military action to protect Libyan civilians. Hours later, Libyan officials declared a cease-fire which they promptly … Continue reading
Posted in American Politics, War
Tagged Bahrain, Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, no-fly zone, Saudi Arabia, UN Security Council, Yemen
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