Netanyahu’s Dangerous Game

When Fascists and strongmen rise in a country or society, a critical step on the path there is the need for an internal enemy. This enemy is then blamed for a litany of social ills and the strongman’s power is consolidated in a fierce crackdown. The strongman will then “stand up” to that enemy, who is portrayed as the aggressor. While more infamous examples from history come to mind, this is still a widely used tactic. The Philippine’s Duterte has done this with drug users in the Philippines. China’s Xingping has done so with China’s Muslim population…

Polyamory: A Primer

Polyamory is a word you may have heard a lot of in recent years, but what is it?

The word root “Poly” means “many” and Amory means “love”. The term in it’s most literal sense means “many loves”. Polyamory is the notion that we can love more than one person romantically at once. A simple definition, but one that is often confused with several other non traditional lifestyles (mostly having to do with sex).

Polyamory is not an Open relationship, and it is not swinging. Swinging is when a couple has sex with other people. An open…

For most of the Republican Party’s lifetime, conservatives weren’t dominant. When it first appeared, the GOP was actually comprised of progressive reformists. Gradually, the Democratic Party took on that mantle, culminating with Franklin Roosevelt and The New Deal. While very popular, a backlash to FDR’s social democratic beliefs was brewing. The declaration of “The Conservative Manifesto” in 1937 signaled their arrival, and starting in the 1950’s things started to change as conservatives within the Republican party began their march toward power. They used the following strategies to take over a party, and then the entire country.

Right wing think tanks…

Democrats were widely expected to take the US Senate when Joe Biden was elected President. While they gained several seats, Republicans remain in charge of the chamber. Democrats have 48 seats now, with the opportunity to get two more in January. Unless they sweep the two races in Georgia, Biden will need Republican support to get anything done. This severely limits what Biden can accomplish.

While extremely small in number, there remain a few Republicans in the Senate who would cross the aisle to vote with Democrats on very specific issues. …

As far as 20th century US politicians go, no one is held in more contempt than Richard Nixon. Nixon has become shorthand for nearly everything reviled about politics. This fact isn’t particularly controversial. Nixon is widely remembered for Watergate, the Southern Strategy and War on Drugs. These three tragedies of US history will forever taint his image. Strangely, this has not applied to a man who was arguably far worse. While Nixon himself is still hated decades after his death, one of his closest advisors is held up as an elder statesman.

Henry Kissinger is the favorite diplomat of the…

Barry Goldwater and the Rise of the Radicals

The year was 1964, and Democrats had just won their 7th of 9 Presidential elections since 1932. The year was a significant one for the broader conservative movement. After 12 years of organizing at the Presidential level, Conservatives had finally taken over the Republican Party, and to most prognosticators the conservative cause was over as soon as it began. Republicans nominated Sen. Barry Goldwater, the conservative ideologue who was adored by movement conservatives. 1964 was a historically bad year for Republicans. President Lyndon Johnson amassed a 23 point victory, winning 44 states…

Part 1: Noble Beginnings.

Throughout recent history, Conservatives have arguably been the most dominant force in electoral politics. While Republicans have a major structural problem at the Presidential level, they have a firm grip on power at virtually every other level of government. They hold this power despite their views not being widely shared by the electorate. How did this happen? This series will explore the rise of modern conservatism.

For most of the Republican Party’s lifetime, conservatives weren’t particularly dominant. …

How the Right Seized Power: Noble Beginnings

The following is the first in a multi-part series chronicling the rise of the right wing in American politics, and specifically looks at their takeover of the Republican Party.

For most of the Republican Party’s lifetime, conservatives weren’t particularly dominant. While the GOP is now seen as as essentially the only viable party to be in for conservatives, this was not always the case.

When it first appeared, the Republican Party was actually comprised of progressive reformists. A few of the GOP’s most beloved Presidents have proven the point. …