Author Archives: hessd

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About hessd

Here is all you need to know to follow this blog. I am an old man and I love to think about why we say the things we do. I've taught at the elementary, secondary, collegiate, and doctoral levels. I don't think one is easier than another. They are hard in different ways. I have taught political science for a long time and have practiced politics in and around the Oregon Legislature. I don't think one is easier than another. They are hard in different ways. You'll be seeing a lot about my favorite topics here. There will be religious reflections (I'm a Christian) and political reflections (I'm a Democrat) and a good deal of whimsy. I'm a dilettante.

Eggs and Omelettes

Posted on January 7, 2021 by hessd

As I write this, it is getting dark in Washington D. C. There are still pro-Trump rioters inside the Capitol and darkness does odd things to riots.  On all the channels I have watched, the reporters and commentators are asking, … Continue reading →

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Balance of Power?

Posted on January 6, 2021 by hessd

The government of the United States was built to be a balancing act.  Just what elements of this mechanism are supposed to be “in balance” have changed from one time to another.  Early ideas were that the largest states were … Continue reading →

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“Give me a break”

Posted on January 5, 2021 by hessd

Trump’s recent phone call to Georgia is iconic.  It puts on display nearly all the things that are most characteristic of Trump [1] and most dangerous to democracy. Here is the account of the call as it appears in the … Continue reading →

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“The” Christmas Story

Posted on December 25, 2020 by hessd

“The” Christmas Story I have never been a fan of “the Christmas story.”  I honestly don’t know why.  I know why I am not a fan of it now and it is a real temptation to project those reasons back … Continue reading →

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Naughty and Nice

Posted on December 23, 2020 by hessd

This is the kind of post I think I had in mind when I started all this in 2010.  Yesterday, the words to “Santa Claus in Comin’ to Town” came to my mind and I noticed something I had never … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting Old, Uncategorized, Words | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The most lied about President

Posted on December 20, 2020 by hessd

It was a professional conversation.  About long-term financial planning, mostly.  We had done all the work and the comments being made were “on the way out the door comments,”  In some way, the topic of President Trump came up and … Continue reading →

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Performative Behavior

Posted on December 15, 2020 by hessd

I got this paragraph from Ross Douthat, the New York Times columnist, this morning. The Republicans behaving radically are doing so in the knowledge — or at least the strong assumption — that their behavior is performative, an act of … Continue reading →

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Civic Capitalism

Posted on December 5, 2020 by hessd

“Socialism” doesn’t work Socialism does work, of course.  All you have to do is look at the bloc of democratic socialist countries in northern Europe and you can see it for yourself.  In fact, even “socialism”—i.e., the word “socialism” works … Continue reading →

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The Seductions of Narrative

Posted on December 1, 2020 by hessd

Some years ago, I ran my best half marathon time ever.  There were some special circumstances in this race.  I can think of two classes of such circumstances.  I’m going to tell you what they are because I am still … Continue reading →

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Hector lives

Posted on November 28, 2020 by hessd

There are so many things to like about Steven Spielberg, but among those I cherish his one-liner about The Terminal.  A reporter asked him whether the part of Viktor Navorski (played by Tom Hanks) was “a Christ story.”  I didn’t … Continue reading →

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