The Deep North

People need to be able to breathe the air. Literally breathe the air that surrounds us. So far, that's not being withheld, but plenty of necessary things are like clean water, food, shelter, and enough of the world's resources and infrastructure to flourish and thrive. Core rights are about a reasonable share of the abundant wealth so that people can thrive according to themselves. The rationale is that 'core rights' come from a source beyond the reach of the state -- a one to one relationship between an individual and whatever it is beyond secular authority. The 'letter' of the understanding about those rights is a covenant amongst the people that forms a state on the basis that those rights are upheld, respected, and protected and form the basis of the state structure and the laws which govern the state. I'm a 'socialist libertarian' so for me, everybody should have enough to thrive and 'guardrail' laws should be in place but otherwise peop...

Excerpt from a letter Dorothy Parker wrote to Seward Collins while she was in New York Presbyterian Hospital. This quote exemplifies Parker's wit and acerbic tone, particularly her exasperation with pretension and affectation:  “ And then there is the nurse who tells me she is afraid she is an incorrigible flirt, but somehow can't help it. She also pronounces ‘picturesque’ picture-skew, and ‘unique’ un-i-kew, and it is amazing how often she manages to introduce these words into her conversation, leading the laughter herself. Also, when she leaves the room she says, ‘see you anon.’ I have not shot her yet. Maybe Monday. ” — Dorothy Parker --  I was an early and avid reader. Like many who learn words through books rather than conversation, I picked up vocabulary in context and often got the pronunciation wrong. My worst case: I first encountered misled in a book describing deceit and, in my internal monologue, pronounced it “myzled”—by analogy with “sly.” Years later, hear...

Project 2025’s approach appears less about reform and more about gaining an advantage by dismantling the U.S. Federal Government—a strategy that inflicts harm on “others” regardless of who they may be. The Problem with "Owning the Libs" The phrase "owning the libs" is often touted as a badge of ideological victory, but it ultimately reduces complex political realities to a shallow contest of insults. This mindset bypasses the necessity for real reform by celebrating a superficial win over an opposing worldview, rather than addressing the systemic issues that truly affect governance. Cleaning House vs. Burning It Down Reforming, or "cleaning house," is a reasonable objective. However, burning the house down—eliminating structures and people simply because they are disliked—is neither a viable strategy nor morally defensible. The consequences of such destruction are severe and far-reaching. Irrecoverable Damage and Consequences Even if those in power were to...

As things currently stand, I think that the only way we will see the end of Donald Trump is if he is impeached and removed. Given the extent of his lawlessness and the damage he has done to the American nation, its people, and the world, you would think it would be a slam-dunk done deal. In fact, there are people calling for his impeachment and one intrepid Democrat has prepared articles of impeachment, the text of which I have included here. Predictably, the cronyism in DC between Dems and the GOP won't allow it to be tabled. He's been told the Dems will vote against it. Make no mistake -- as a body, the Democratic party in Congress and the Senate simply do not represent either the wishes of or the best interests of the American people. Despite the absolutely overboard lawless, dictatorial, authoritarian, kleptocracy Trump has put in place, the people who hold power in Washington support it.  Shri Thanedar has been told to hold off on his articles of impeachment because "...