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.

American Catholics and African Catholics

Posted on March 8, 2013 by hessd

 Yesterday, the New York Times released a poll they conducted with CBS.  The goal was to ascertain the views of Roman Catholics in the United States.  I want to go further in this post, but here are some results that … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Psychology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

It’s So Hard to Get Good Help These Days

Posted on March 3, 2013 by hessd

It is a truism among environmentalists that it is not possible to do just one thing.  I think it is true everywhere, but environmentalists have demonstrated it so clearly and so many times that I think they deserve to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Getting Old, Political Psychology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Smart and Poor

Posted on February 25, 2013 by hessd

This post is going to be about the working poor.  I say that first because it is going to take me a little bit to get there. In my line of work, which is political psychology, we make a good … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Psychology | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Property and Privacy

Posted on February 18, 2013 by hessd

I’ve been thinking about civil liberties.  Civil liberties are the things the government(s) aren’t allowed to do to us.  Being Americans, our minds go right away to freedom of speech and assembly; of guarantees against cruel and unusual punishment and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

It’s Providential. And That’s the Bad News.

Posted on February 17, 2013 by hessd

“What luck!” says the woman with the secular vocabulary.  “No,” says the man whose mouth is full of theology, “It’s providential.”  Does that exchange make any sense at all? Yes and No, I would say, if asked.  (On a blog, … Continue reading →

Posted in Theology, ways of knowing, Words | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Most Conservative Electable Candidate

Posted on February 12, 2013 by hessd

Has anyone noticed what Karl Rove is up to these days?  He may not be able to call Ohio for Obama in a prompt and professional manner, but I think he has opened a whole new front in the partisan … Continue reading →

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

The Fret of Care

Posted on February 10, 2013 by hessd

Today, I am working with a title from one world and an event in another. The title comes from a hymn we sang in my church when I was a little boy.  The whole line, adapted to today’s question is, … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting Old, Love and Marriage | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

What is God like?

Posted on January 28, 2013 by hessd

This is one of those “Why is the grass green?” kinds of questions.  I do want to try to answer it in the third of the pieces that make up this blog, but I have two prior questions. The first … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Uncategorized, ways of knowing, Words | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Doing What You Can

Posted on January 26, 2013 by hessd

Back in the old days, before doctors were able to cure many illnesses, a big part of “medical care” was being with the patient.  Just being there says things that can’t be said otherwise, principal among them is, “You matter … Continue reading →

Posted in Getting Old | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

How are the prospects for President Obama’s second term in office?  Pretty good, I’d say, all things being considered.  The President is duly aware of what he calls “locusts”—unforeseen events that swarm the political landscape and destroy the prospects for … Continue reading →

Posted on January 21, 2013 by hessd | Leave a comment