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.

Narcissist-in-Chief

Posted on January 30, 2017 by hessd

Imagine a man [1] who is a father, an employer, and a mayor. Oh…and he is a narcissist. What does that personal condition [2] imply for the three roles I mentioned? Let’s start at the other end of the question. … Continue reading →

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Fools, Friends, and the Media

Posted on January 28, 2017 by hessd

I was in a discussion recently where the ability of comics who use politics as their medium was celebrated. There were kind memories of Jon Stewart on the Daily Show, of Stephen Colbert, and of the current cast of characters … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Did Jesus pick fights he could have avoided?

Posted on January 24, 2017 by hessd

I think so. Let me review three instances where I see that happening and then I’ll come back so we can revisit the question together. The three concern: a) Jesus’s healing of a paralyzed man, b) his partying with sinners, … Continue reading →

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Some Rhetorical Similarities in Trump and Hitler Speeches

Posted on January 22, 2017 by hessd

I want to write about Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler today. I know no one is going to like what I have to say, but I feel, nonetheless, some urgency about saying it now. Here is the whole message of … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Sustainability, Words | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Attending the Inauguration

Posted on January 19, 2017 by hessd

Spoiler alert: I’m not going to attend. Of course, I wasn’t invited. But my Congressman, Earl Blumenauer of the 3rd Congressional District of Oregon, isn’t going to attend either and he actually was invited. The Daily Kos said today that … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Evangelical Playboy

Posted on January 16, 2017 by hessd

Exit polls show white evangelical voters voted in high numbers for Donald Trump, 80-16 percent, according to exit poll results. That’s the most they have voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 2004, when they overwhelmingly chose President George W. Bush … Continue reading →

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A “Resolution” in the new year

Posted on January 14, 2017 by hessd

That really ought to be the same as “new year’s resolution,” shouldn’t it? But the meaning of “new year’s resolution” turns out to be every bit as puzzling as why we make them and why we, mostly, fail to keep … Continue reading →

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Don’t Become the Issue

Posted on January 9, 2017 by hessd

This is an essay directed at my fellow liberals. We can, in the coming months, shift the attention of deeply conflicted Trump voters, from President Trump’s behavior to ours. We can turn them into Trump supporters (not just protest voters) … Continue reading →

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Hillary and “the women’s vote” in Pennsylvania

Posted on January 5, 2017 by hessd

Emily Bazelon, who is as consistently feminist as any writer I know, wrote a piece for the New York Times that must have discouraged her deeply. It was published on November 15 and you can see it all here.  She … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

It’s our story and I’m sticking to it.

Posted on December 30, 2016 by hessd

Everybody knows the line, “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.” I discovered today that it comes from a Saturday Night Live regular I had never heard of—Kevin Quinn. I haven’t messed with it much in producing the title … Continue reading →

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