Who’s waging the culture wars?
For many years—decades, even—the American right-wing has been waging culture wars, stoking the fears and resentments of white, Christian Americans over issues like abortion, race, crime, immigration, guns and gays. The idea is to displace economic issues, on which the ...
Read MoreYes, it’s fascism
It’s gruesome, but if you can stand it, you really should watch the NY Times video compilation of the Jan. 6 insurrectionist riot. It’s the most riveting 40 minutes of action on a small or big screen that you’re likely ...
Read MoreThe US and China
In his recent meetings with NATO allies President Biden had some difficulty in convincing them of Washington’s view of the gravity of the China threat. But just what is the China threat? It’s certainly not military, at least not to ...
Read MoreCold War(s) Redux?
The two major foreign policy challenges facing the Biden administration are Russia and China. Both of these countries are governed by ugly, brutal regimes, but they are regimes with which the US perforce must deal, while minimizing the risks of ...
Read MoreThe Threat: How Bad?
I’ve been saying for years that Donald Trump and the party/cult he commands represent a serious threat to American democracy as we know it. Of course, I’ve been far from alone—my view of the Trumpist threat is widely shared not ...
Read MoreWhat two-state solution?
Tsipi Livni, Israel’s leading centrist politician, makes a strong plea for a two-state solution to the historic conflict over Palestine—two states for two people. There’s only so much you can say in the space allotted for an op-ed, but Livni ...
Read MoreViolence “Erupts” in Jerusalem
Some readers may have noticed that over time my posts on Israel/Palestine have become increasingly infrequent. That relative quietude reflects not indifference but despair. I’ve come to conclude that this is one of the many instances in which, contra Martin ...
Read MoreThe Scott Stringer Problem
I haven’t followed the NYC mayoralty primary race closely, but from early on I have assumed that my choice would be Scott Stringer. He’s a strong and principled progressive with clear ideas about how he would make the city a ...
Read MoreBiden Speaks
Joe Biden gave a good speech last night. Clearly he sees the current crisis as the most critical this country has faced since the Great Depression, and he means to use the crisis to be the most transformational Democratic president ...
Read MoreBuy my book
