Month: March 2019

The Debate on Socialism

I ran into a friend the other day, and the first words out of his mouth were “Since when did the Democratic party become Socialist?” My short answer was — they haven’t. They’re they same old corporatist, center-right party they’ve been for years. It’s just that Republicans, seizing on the rhetoric of Bernie Sanders and a few others, have decided that socialism is the Democrats’ Achilles heel and so they’re making a big issue of it. Oddly enough, however, this could turn out to be a good thing. By drawing attention to it, they’ve opened a debate that’s been dormant for decades. Read More

Media Misuse of the Word “So”

Lately I’ve noticed that a great many commentators on television and radio feel obliged to begin every answer to every question with the word “so.” For example, the answer to “What did President Trump mean by his latest tweet?” might be “So, no one knows what is going on in the mind of Donald Trump, but….” The problem with this usage is that it is both unnecessary and incorrect.

There are many more or less correct uses of the word “so.” Read More

Fashionable Revolution

Student Protest Paris 1968-web

Although the times are unsettled and revolutionary jargon is in the air, one doesn’t expect a women’s fashion magazine to employ it as a motif, or at least, not one as haute as W.   In a recent issue, I discovered a highly entertaining profile of Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, subtitled “the quiet revolutionary,” and illustrated with slogan-y artwork reminiscent of early 20th century art manifestos.  How ironic, I thought, coming from the mag I read to spy on the wealthy. Read More

Thinking For Yourself

With election day upon us here in Vermont, I got to thinking about voting and what that takes. The short answer is: you’ve got to think for yourself. After all, this is what real democracy demands, that each of us weigh in with our own choices. Even though the election itself is winner takes all and not necessarily a reflection of all views, it still takes all views to determine the winners. Everyone’s vote is part of the outcome. Read More