Category Archives: Politics

“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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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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Trying to understand vigilantes. Failing.

Posted on November 21, 2020 by hessd

Amber Elliott, currently director of the St. Francois County public health department in Missouri, resigns today, November 20.  She and her family are being harassed by angry citizens. Kelly Vollmar is director of the Jefferson County Health Department and has … Continue reading →

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Lasting Damage to the Republic

Posted on November 12, 2020 by hessd

I want to write this post as a rebuke to myself.  I want to look back on the day I wrote this and say, “This helped me avoid making a really bad mistake.” Here is the mistake: “At last, the … Continue reading →

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To take arms against a sea of troubles…

Posted on November 10, 2020 by hessd

As the Prince of Denmark considers his options, “taking arms against a sea of  troubles” is the one he considers first.  Presumably that “taking arms” would be preceded by some notion of just what comprised that “sea” and the troubles … Continue reading →

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Thoughtless Lying

Posted on October 28, 2020 by hessd

I come from a small town in a conservative part of Ohio.  In some ways, that has been a very good preparation for the kind of life I have lived.  In our town, we believed in “the virtues,” despite violating … Continue reading →

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Bo Knows Politics?

Posted on October 15, 2020 by hessd

There comes a time when, as the logic of a movement plays out, it just goes too far.  In this essay I want to say that I have reached that point myself, so far as the self-righteous political left is … Continue reading →

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The Banner of Republicanism

Posted on September 19, 2020 by hessd

I’ve been teaching a course about parables.  I want to offer that as an excuse.  One of the easiest things to do with a parable is to turn it into an allegory, in which each element of the story represents … Continue reading →

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Just Enough Evidence for Now

Posted on September 16, 2020 by hessd

I have one model of persuasion I would like to explore today and one I would like to reject.  I am sure these models have names that are known to people who study persuasion, but I don’t know what they … Continue reading →

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