Starting with the Tea Party and then with Occupy Wall Street, there has been a movement to consider both the economic distribution of wealth and the amount of taxes that are paid. The Tea Party wants to lessen the amount of taxes that Americans pay, which would subsequently result in a smaller government, while Occupy Wall […]
I was disappointed to read syndicated columnist Cal Thomas’s attack on not only the late Christopher Hitchens, but also on non-theists in general. While Thomas acknowledges that Hitchens was smart and witty, he seems to take joy in suggesting that he has now realized the errors of his ways — engulfed in the ultimate punishment […]
One of my favorite things about the holiday season is the time to watch a few movies. My wife and I watch a wide variety of movies — save perhaps the action and science fiction films. However, my favorite genre is documentaries. Whether I agree or not with the premise of the writer/producer, I almost […]
I don’t mean to start off by bragging, but I got a B minus in professor Mark Siebert’s Introduction to Music Appreciation class at Oberlin College. Not too bad for a young lad who couldn’t read a note of music, if I do say so myself. My enjoyment of music reached beyond the classroom, however. […]
It is a rare occasion that State Representative Boose and I agree on an issue. Usually I find his interpretation of the issues to be intellectually insolent to those who follow politics. In the past, he has demonstrated the unique ability to take the most debatable of ideology, insert the word “taxes,” and spin it […]
When I think about a financial recovery, the thing that excites me is the millions of previously hard-working people who would go back to work. I would be excited for their families, and what an economic relief it would be for them. Families could again have the essentials, maybe even a few luxuries or take a […]
In defending many minority perspectives, I spend a lot of time listening and considering counterarguments. Though there is a formal approach to argumentation, primarily through the rules of logic, there is also political and social argumentation that is based on passion and conflicting data. These are arguments that extend beyond the normal process of presenting episodes […]
I am as passionate as anyone when it comes to the issues that matter most to me, and I may be guilty of emphatically arguing my position at times, but there is a difference between a well-reasoned distinction in opinion and the intent to deceive.