For what is now officially the umpteenth time, I have heard someone bemoan Roe v. Wade as an issue of “judicial overstepping.” It's become a rallying cry for the right wing. I will here answer that charge, and in so doing suggest a way to reframe the entire dialog on the… Read full post »

Sandra Stephens' post Land of a Thousand Bows reminded me of some remarks I had wanted to make about Obama and bowing:

There are different ways to show strength. I often think the neocons don't get this. They project a kind of cartoon underestanding of strength and weakness that attempts… Read full post »

Last year during the election season, I wrote my article “Election Stratego,” in which I made various speculations comparing modern Republican political strategy to that used in the game Stratego®:

Election Stratego by Kent Pitman

October 12, 2008     

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… Read full post »

It seems to be the case that much of the pro-Life camp regards Roe v. Wade as a kind of left liberal “pro-abortion” plot of some sort. It is not.

Although I can see how if you live at the extreme end of the spectrum, anything toward the center might… Read full post »

As a byproduct of my work as Project Editor for a technical committee called X3J13, which produced the “standard” for a programming language called Common Lisp, I learned many interesting things. One in particular is what I want to share today—a lesson about the elusive natu… Read full post »

A lot of people don't observe Veterans Day. It's no longer a day off for a great many people. I grew up a military brat and military issues do matter to me, but I have never much cared for either Memorial Day or Veterans Day. Today I had an epiphany about… Read full post »

My brother is pregnant. Well, his wife. And not really my brother. It's just a metaphor, inspired by the age-old question, “Am I my brother's keeper?”

He's been pregnant before, you see. I advised an abortion. He has no money. He could not afford a child. He was indignant. The… Read full post »

Original title: The Plane Truth about Northwest Flight 118?

I read now that it's Flight 188. As it happens, this isn't my error, not that I didn't make others. The New York Times originally had “Flight 118” and later corrected itself to say “Flight 188.” As of the writing of/… Read full post »

Alan Grayson (D-FL) yesterday spoke out again for Americans everywhere who want health care reform.

Grayson speaks for just 3 minutes in this speech, from 0:15 to 3:25. Watch it if you can. But if you can't, here are some highlights:

The Tipping Point

Saturday Night Live gave voice this weekend to what I think a lot of Americans, even (and perhaps especially) Obama supporters, have been thinking—that hope is rapidly dwindling.

We endowed our elected officials with a pretty clear mandate on various issues, and nothing has b… Read full post »

It’s too bad that Chicago lost its bid to host the 2016 Olympics. Chicago Guy wrote a very nice essay on the complexity of the matter. It was certainly a mixed bag, both economically and emotionally, and not everyone thought it would have been an economic boon for the area… Read full post »

Ever pooled money… Read full post »

The entire health care debate seems to come down to a conflict between those who are comfortable and those who are afflicted or afraid. The problem seems to me to be that a disproportionate number of those making the decisions in Congress are, by definition, among the all too comfortable.… Read full post »

Senator Edward Kennedy died early this morning of August 26, 2009.
It has been suggested that in lieu of flowers,
passing health care is the right thing to do to honor his memory.
In that spirit, rather than eulogize him,
I continue here with my focus on health care.

Michael Rodgers’ recommen/… Read full post »

There’s been a lot of talk about health care and whether it should work by a public or private system. Advocates of private systems say that a public system can’t hope to achieve the efficiencies, innovations, etc. that a private system can. Fair enough. But there’s a “catch-2… Read full post »

I was listening to Thomas Friedman's Hot, Flat and Crowded on audiobook today.  (Great book, by the way. Very thoughtful, well-researched, and upbeat.)  He was talking about home efficiency and I was thinking about all the things I need to do to my house. He was talking about how much money… Read full post »

Some people don't mind their email address being shared indiscriminately, but many do. If someone shares their email address with you, please treat it with great care.

It might be that you or someone you know doesn't mind having their email address shared. That does not negate the fact that… Read full post »

The other great Walter of the 1960's slips away.* So much will be written about him that I'll skip the obvious stuff and offer just a few impressions.

Top of my list is the moon landing. It's sad that he should die this weekend, on the 40th anniversary of the… Read full post »

Well, I must confess I am shocked—shocked!—to find that there are procedural mechanisms which give the majority an upper hand in what makes it to the floor for a vote in the United States Congress!

Although later ruled out of order, Rep. Greg Walden (R) today used a point of… Read full post »

Bill Moyers interviewed Wendell Potter, former head of corporate communications for Cigna. This is a really great interview and well worth seeing. Here's a sample:

WENDELL POTTER: The industry has always tried to make Americans think that government-run systems are the worst thing that could possib

… Read full post »

Header on a message I found in my “Junk E-mail” folder tonight:

If you get one of these things, do not click on it or forward it.

I originally thought it was a phishing attempt, but on closer inspection I think it… Read full post »

Sarah Palin is stepping down from her elected post as Governor of Alaska.

Let me go back to a comfortable analogy for me – sports... I use it because you’re naïve if you don’t see the national full-court press picking away right now: A good point guard drives through

… Read full post »

As I write this post, Lt. Dan Choi has a hearing coming up about the crime of offering to translate Arabic for the US government while being gay.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell is mere institutionalized bigotry based on irrational fears, the like of which the US military has successfully overcome… Read full post »