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Category Archives: History

You learn something new every day

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Deray McKesson, of Black Lives Matter fame, and I, have something in common. We both went to Bowdoin College. Today he tweeted that he was proud of Bowdoin for taking down a plaque honoring Confederate alumni. I guess I’m proud of the college too, but I have to say I’m also a little embarrassed. When […]

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A bit of history

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Who was the best president in the time since I was born? I’ve often thought about that question. I put Harry Truman to the side, as I can’t recall anything about him. All the Republicans can be set to the side as well. Despite the Vietnam War and its disastrous aftermath, I keep coming back […]

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Dubious Distinction for Obama

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Today, Obama is virtually tied for first place in a new poll of the greatest modern president. The Quinnipiac University poll indicates 29 percent say Obama is the greatest president since World War II — just shy of the 30 percent who cite Ronald Reagan, the long-standing titleholder. via The Washington Post No knock on […]

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Trump wins another award

Thursday, December 29, 2016

It’s official. The American Historical Society announced today that it had taken a poll of its members, and there was surprising unanimity: Donald Trump is the worst president in American History. Well, actually, Donald Trump will be the worst president in American history, once he’s sworn in. “There was a bit of debate about whether […]

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Smart guy

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Where did this guy get all his brainpower?

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A history lesson

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

I know it’s a waste of time to bring up facts when talking about Republicans, but sometimes you just can’t help yourself. Marco Rubio is quoted as follows on the issue of gay marriage: “The debate is about how do you define an institution, the institution of marriage, which has been defined the same way […]

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He’s Number One

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Hands down, the worst president ever. Yet, we have 15 potential presidents, all of whom could give him a run for his money, and one of whom will of necessity be nominated. 

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How is a Bill O’Reilly like a stopped clock?

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Answer: not at all. O’Reilly is only right once a year. But that rare event may have happened recently. George Will is in a kerfuffle because in “his” latest book, O’Reilly claims that Ronald Reagan’s Alzheimer’s disease was affecting him during his presidency to such an extent that his advisers were thinking of invoking the […]

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Some etymology

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Paul Krugman links to a blog called The Monkey Cage, by a political scientist named John Sides. Mr. Sides points out something that many of us have known for a while: that while people in this country call themselves conservatives, on the issues they tend to come out as liberals. Sides points out that most […]

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An anniversary

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Seven score and ten years ago, an American president delivered the finest inaugural address in history, and perhaps the greatest political speech in that same time span. A bit heavy on the god, but we can over look that. Well worth reading. Still has the power to evoke strong feelings.

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