Category Archives: Politics

Trashing the West Wing

Posted on April 29, 2017 by hessd

Luke Savage doesn’t much like the West Wing (TWW). Or so I gather from his article in Current Affairs. I’m fine with that. But to criticize a body of work, particularly a very complex work that stretches out over seven … Continue reading →

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Thinking about Chinese dominance

Posted on April 14, 2017 by hessd

I grew up at a very favored time in the U. S. We had fought and won a war against “the Axis powers.” We had a nuclear monopoly in the world. We were the last undamaged economy in the world … Continue reading →

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James the Presbyter at Princeton

Posted on April 7, 2017 by hessd

I have been paying a good deal of attention to the recent goings-on at Princeton Theological Seminary for one reason or another. The issues themselves are small potatoes, it seems to me; in comparison to the reasons people have given … Continue reading →

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What you said is so misunderstandable

Posted on March 22, 2017 by hessd

The current political climate is so polarized and so hostile that “misunderstanding” is almost taken for granted. What I say presupposes not the common context of communication, but only my own or those of the group I belong to. Liberals … Continue reading →

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God is a liberal Democrat living in Princeton

Posted on March 8, 2017 by hessd

Quite a few member of the faculty of Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem) [1] released a statement that they say represents their views, not the views of the seminary at large. [2] I was glad to hear that because I am … Continue reading →

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How not to save civil society

Posted on March 1, 2017 by hessd

I am going to urge you to take a look at Paul Krugman’s column in today’s New York Times. I don’t like it and I very much hope that you won’t like it either, but let’s start by reading it. … Continue reading →

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You like me. You really like me.

Posted on February 12, 2017 by hessd

I take it for granted that the Trump administration will be a disaster as a governing body. When you look ahead to the horrors I imagine, you might wonder why the necessary electoral majority chose him to be our president. … Continue reading →

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If you play defense, you get to serve

Posted on February 10, 2017 by hessd

We’re talking about volleyball, right? It is taking all the discipline I have to ignore the Trumpery [1] in the White House. I think it is worth doing, though. If I don’t ignore it, I will lavish my disdain on … Continue reading →

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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 →

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