Philosophy
I live in the part of Maryland where you know you are below the Mason-Dixon line. This has given rise to something I've been thinking about. There's a kids' amusement area -- not a big theme park, but go-carts, laser tag, miniature golf,... -- close by me that the short people would greatly enjoy. But given the right-wing candidates that the owners openly and loudly support on the premises, it has set my feet against ever spending a dime there.
Is this intolerant or a legitimate response? Is this stifling discourse or is my lack of patronage equally legitimate political speech? Is this allowing the power of the purse to be a political power or am I wrongly corrupting an apolitical transaction, turning it political when it should not be? Certainly, I am free to use my hard earned money any way I choose, but am I wrongly trying to punish people for a mere political disagreement or standing up for what I believe in?
- Understanding Unacceptable Utterances
Kerry asks, "So Juan Williams follows Rick Sanchez, Octavia Nasr, and Helen Thomas as the fourth journalist to get fired recently for expressing personal opinions on their own time, not on the job. Political correctness run amok, justifiable punishment,...
- Is Campaign Finance Reform Dead? Should It Be?
Getting elected means getting your message out and that means advertising. Advertising means money and that means donations. In the decision Buckley v. Valeo, the Court asserted that money was speech, political speech is protected by the First Amendment...
- Rachel Maddow
So Rachel Maddow is getting her own show on MSNBC. Not only is it wonderful that we're getting another female voice among the high power pundits, but someone who is openly lesbian and liberal. Most astonishing is that we'll have someone in a high...
- Send More Chuck Berry: Music And Politics
This is far too rich not to comment upon. John McCain had been using Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Good as a campaign song. But now that Berry has come out as a strong Obama proponent, he's switched to...wait for it..."Take a Chance on Me" by ABBA....
- Imus And Freedom Of Speech
There's a new webforum that just started called the Citizens' Symposium. The idea is to take a topic and ask a couple of bloggers from different points of view to write a short essay and respond to the others, then throw it open to general discussion....
Philosophy
Politics and the Purse
I live in the part of Maryland where you know you are below the Mason-Dixon line. This has given rise to something I've been thinking about. There's a kids' amusement area -- not a big theme park, but go-carts, laser tag, miniature golf,... -- close by me that the short people would greatly enjoy. But given the right-wing candidates that the owners openly and loudly support on the premises, it has set my feet against ever spending a dime there.
Is this intolerant or a legitimate response? Is this stifling discourse or is my lack of patronage equally legitimate political speech? Is this allowing the power of the purse to be a political power or am I wrongly corrupting an apolitical transaction, turning it political when it should not be? Certainly, I am free to use my hard earned money any way I choose, but am I wrongly trying to punish people for a mere political disagreement or standing up for what I believe in?
- Understanding Unacceptable Utterances
Kerry asks, "So Juan Williams follows Rick Sanchez, Octavia Nasr, and Helen Thomas as the fourth journalist to get fired recently for expressing personal opinions on their own time, not on the job. Political correctness run amok, justifiable punishment,...
- Is Campaign Finance Reform Dead? Should It Be?
Getting elected means getting your message out and that means advertising. Advertising means money and that means donations. In the decision Buckley v. Valeo, the Court asserted that money was speech, political speech is protected by the First Amendment...
- Rachel Maddow
So Rachel Maddow is getting her own show on MSNBC. Not only is it wonderful that we're getting another female voice among the high power pundits, but someone who is openly lesbian and liberal. Most astonishing is that we'll have someone in a high...
- Send More Chuck Berry: Music And Politics
This is far too rich not to comment upon. John McCain had been using Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Good as a campaign song. But now that Berry has come out as a strong Obama proponent, he's switched to...wait for it..."Take a Chance on Me" by ABBA....
- Imus And Freedom Of Speech
There's a new webforum that just started called the Citizens' Symposium. The idea is to take a topic and ask a couple of bloggers from different points of view to write a short essay and respond to the others, then throw it open to general discussion....