Category Archives: Politics

Stand Your Ground

Posted on April 23, 2012 by hessd

Since George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin, a lot of attention has been paid to Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” laws.  People have written about the effect of abundantly available guns on public safety, about the effect of the American Legislative Exchange Council … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Psychology, Politics, ways of knowing | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Church and State

Posted on April 10, 2012 by hessd

In Salem, Oregon, where I got nearly all my political training, there is a Church Street and a State Street.  The First Methodist Church of Salem sits there quietly at the intersection of Church and State where, by all rights, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Words | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

“Loose Talk of War.” Yeah, right.

Posted on March 6, 2012 by hessd

When a political campaign is at full throttle, it is easy to think that any disagreement is mostly a partisan disagreement.  Given the current disposition of the parties, that would mean an ideological disagreement.  The current exchange on Iran’s nuclear … Continue reading →

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Republican Polar Bears

Posted on February 28, 2012 by hessd

One of the most surprising events of recent years is the death by drowning of polar bears.  Polar bears are some of the strongest swimmers in the world of mammals.  Why are they drowning?  Well, it turns out that that … Continue reading →

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What Will the General Election Be About?

Posted on February 19, 2012 by hessd

New York Times CBS Poll Feb 3—13, 2012  Registered Voters 1064 Registered Republicans 316 Registered Democrats 368 How is President Obama Doing? Pretty well, all things being considered. His numbers are nowhere near where they were when he was elected, … Continue reading →

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So…Mitt Romney hates the poor?

Posted on February 4, 2012 by hessd

I don’t much like the attention that has been paid recently to Mitt Romney’s comment about the poor.  I don’t much like Mitt either, but this is too much.  It hasn’t been that long since a staffer for an agency … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

David Brooks Has Caused Me All Kinds of Trouble

Posted on January 8, 2012 by hessd

David Brooks has caused me all kinds of trouble.  When I introduce him to people—my students at PSU, usually—who don’t know him, I say he is a conservative columnist for the New York Times.  When my students choose David Brooks … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Psychology, Politics | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Explaining Matthew’s Advent Story to Children

Posted on December 26, 2011 by hessd

The story of Herod’s anger at having missed his chance to kill the Christ Child has been around for a long time, assuming that the Gospel of Matthew dates from the 80s AD.  In the charged political atmosphere of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Politics | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Probably Mitt

Posted on December 9, 2011 by hessd

So who are the Republicans going to pick as their presidential nominee?  If I were a betting man (I’m not) and if I put my money where my mouth is (I don’t), I’d say Mitt Romney.  The New York Times … Continue reading →

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Matthew’s Story and Really Smart People

Posted on December 5, 2011 by hessd

Nobody ever said that the story of Jesus’s birth was about what you know.  The story is, like everything else in Christianity, about Who you know.[1]  I get that and I’m fine with it.  Mostly.  But the truth is that … Continue reading →

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