How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion, and Persuasion by David McRaney offers what could be an eye-opening look at how to talk to “the other.” It’s about much more than when every day becomes Thanksgiving Day and seemingly reasonable people turn out to be crazy Uncle Harry. McRaney shares what he has …
Tag: Donald Trump
Will raw politics kill immigration reform?
Do we really need to arm the Statue of Liberty? It’s no secret that there is an immigration crisis in this country. Since Biden became President, more than three million migrants have crossed the border, and an estimated 1.7 million more have snuck in or overstayed their visas. The influx is now a problem for …
Haley and DeSantis – a So’s ya mutha! debate
Former Ambassador Nikki Haley and Governor Ron DeSantis were like two playground kids pretending to be scorpions in a bottle in Wednesday night's debate, jabbing at each other, oblivious to the big foot about to crush them both. You lie. Nah, you lie. Back and forth they went, with slanted opposition research about each other's …
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Headlines you may – or may not – see in 2024
It's bedtime for 2023. It has been an ugly year. Ukraine. Hamas'October 7th attack. Bloodshed in Gaza. Wildfires and floods from global warming. House of Representatives chaos and gridlock. Biden's slump in polls. Social media's pollution of young minds. Misinformation. Disinformation. Need I go on? In this posting, I present my traditional list of headlines we could …
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Nancy Pelosi for Time Magazine’s Person of the Year
Sometime in the next 24 to 72 hours, Time Magazine will be announcing its Person Of The Year. One of the early favorites at Ladbrokes online betting was Greta Thunberg, the eloquent Swedish climate change activist. She is clearly deserving, and the award could heighten focus on the looming existential crisis, but the bookies, if …
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Return to checks and balances brings hope
I have to post quickly before events reactivate the despair and cynicism of the last two years. I felt a smile emerge when watching the swearing-in of Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Imagine the pleasure of hearing about Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution, establishing the Congress as a coequal branch …
Outing Harvey Weinstein isn’t enough
Outrage over sexual assault shouldn't be a partisan contest. Whether you’re Bill O’Reilly, Roger Ailes, Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby, Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein or Bob in Accounting, sexual predation is inexcusable. But as bad as their behavior, I’m similarly outraged by those who, because of self-interest, enable miscreants to continue unchecked and law enforcement and …
Political lessons from the New England Patriots
Set aside the friendships between Donald Trump and New England Patriots MVP quarterback Tom Brady, or coach Bill Belichick or owner Bob Kraft (who, as a young man, stood with his late wife as leading progressive Democrats), there's still plenty of inspiration to be found in last night's epic comeback by the Pats in defeating the tough, aggressive, skilled and energetic Atlanta …
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Women’s March Boston: life in the bubble?
I hate being in large crowds but had to be at Boston Common yesterday for the local version of the Women's March occurring in hundreds of cities around the nation and on all continents. As with anti-Vietnam War marches in the late sixties and early seventies, this was a time to stand up and be …
Obama still stands for hope, alloyed with action
"When they go low, we go high," is Michelle Obama's credo. Last night, her husband exemplified that commitment. He spoke to the best that is in the American people, the power of faith, the ability of ordinary people to come together over shared values. We will remain the most powerful and respected nation on earth …
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Marjorie Arons-Barron 