Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, sought to assure the country that there is no threat of double dip.  Forgive me if I’m less than sanguine.

Economists like Larry Summers, Brad DeLong and Paul Krugman, as well as other observers, like Floyd Norris, recognize the possibilit… Read full post »

Somehow, even after his Debt Ceiling Cave, President Obama still has progressive democratic supporters.  How to explain how anyone could still support a democratic President that has cast the unemployed adrift and seems intent on dismantling the social safety net?  It seems like there can o/… Read full post »

No, that date is not some new apocalypse prediction - at least I hope not.  Obviously, it is tax day but that's not the point.  Those of you living in Boston, MA, may recognize it as Patriot's Day.  Closer, but still not quite.  If names like Jim Fixx, Hal Higdon and… Read full post »

Is this going to be the year?

It really wouldn't be that difficult.  Couldn't be.  Could it?  A lot of throwing out and a little bit of organizing.

So why does it seem nearly impossible?

Why is it that just thinking about it causes a weight to descend on my chest?… Read full post »

We’ve got trouble folks.  Big trouble.

As we all know by now the number one priority to save our economy isn’t jobs or increasing demand, its cutting taxes for the wealthy and corporations – the job-creators.  Yes, despite what you hear between demands for tax cuts,/… Read full post »

Can you witness without intending to witness?

If you volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, for instance, and your only motivation is to help people – in other words, you have no intention whatsoever of influencing anyone’s religious views - can you be described as witnessing in a reli/… Read full post »

Some people dismiss the idea of American exceptionalism.  I beg to differ.  Please bear in mind that a normal distribution has two tails.  Either end is, by definition, exceptional.

I bought some raffle tickets today.  A man had died too young leaving a wife and small childr/… Read full post »

The younger ones say there is a special place in hell for us.  We saw this coming but didn’t stop it.

It’s not that simple, of course; is anything ever that simple?

Still, they have no use for us, now.  They shelter us and feed us but, their contempt is/… Read full post »

2012 is getting a little murkier.

The republicans – with a friendly assist from Obama and the DLC democrats - appear to be on the verge of completely sabotaging any hope of a meaningful economic recovery by 2012.  The point, of course, is that, like 2010, the democrats will get hamme/… Read full post »

Driving home with a friend the other night I was quite agitated as I had just heard that our school district was laying off 40 teachers.

I contemptuously cited the common wisdom that our taxes were way too high and noted that the top marginal tax rate “under that great socialist,… Read full post »

I have glimpsed her soul
Dreading the emptiness
Aching for resolution
Fortunately?
I am yet able to imagine I am held too dear
But still ...

I dip a toe
And feel the flow
Relentless, inexorable current
Wade in
Frigid, penetrating cold
Will soon drive out all sensation
But first
A… Read full post »

I never used to think of myself as a bigot.  I mean, I think there is a little bit of bigot hard-wired into all of us but, above that structural level of bigotry, I have tried to be conscious of my prejudices and fight them.  In fact, sometimes I worry that… Read full post »

 By now, you would have to be delusional – and there are at least two depressingly prevalent, albeit, diametrically opposed, Obama-specific manifestations of this condition - to fail to recognize Obama’s determination to please his right wing abusers.  But, just in case, let&rsq/… Read full post »

So, checked my son's geometry homework.

 About all I remember of geometry is the pythagorean thereom.   That and that you can't rely on eyeballing the diagrams because sometimes they were sneaky and purposely drew the diagrams in the wrong proportions.  Nevertheless, I managed to… Read full post »

ESPN had a story about Ben Roethlisberger the other day.  The basic theme was how incredible it would be if Ben were to win the Super Bowl after all he has had to overcome, this year.

Excuse me?  If Ben had been injured or suffered some deep personal loss, that frame/… Read full post »

OK, so I signed up for this blog about a month ago … only to discover I have nothing to say.  Well, nothing of any significance.  So, lacking anything of any import, I’m going with ramblings and musings.  Who knows – maybe even a rant or two.

The first such mus… Read full post »