Category Archives: Uncategorized

Where’s the Peace Movement?

Posted on January 17, 2011 by David S. Meyer

On the fiftieth anniversary of President Eisenhower’s military-industrial complex speech (his farewell address), it’s worth asking just where the peace movement is these days.  Eisenhower, a vigorous cold warrior and internationalist, sounded an alarm about making decisions about foreign and … Continue reading →

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Words and Deeds

Posted on January 13, 2011 by David S. Meyer

The spotlight on the grief and mourning following Jared Loughner’s attack in Arizona creates an opportunity for people who want attention.    What they do with the opportunity depends upon who they are and what they want.  And the subsequent reactions … Continue reading →

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After Stuff Happens

Posted on January 11, 2011 by David S. Meyer

The politics of Jared Loughner’s attack on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in a Tucson supermarket are just starting.  It’s not the event itself that matters so much as the positioning after the fact.  Political figures try not to waste crises. Advocates … Continue reading →

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Updates on Domestic Terror

Posted on January 8, 2011 by David S. Meyer

I was surprised to see how quickly a conservative activist slipped from condemning the violent attack in Tucson to chastising unnamed members of the left. The New York Times reports the statement of Judson Phillips, Tea Party Nation’s founder: (Note: … Continue reading →

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Gabrielle Giffords and Domestic Terror

Posted on January 8, 2011 by David S. Meyer

It won’t take long for reporters to find out enough about Jared Loughner to offer portrayals of a severely disturbed young man.  Reports at this moment detail Loughner attending a district event at a supermarket organized by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, … Continue reading →

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The Constitution and Reading Aloud

Posted on January 6, 2011 by David S. Meyer

My first grader is starting to get bored of reading aloud in class.  Like most members of Congress, she can read faster than she can listen, and having to slow down as every reader stumbles through the words gets tiresome.  … Continue reading →

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Who’s Serving the Tea?

Posted on January 5, 2011 by David S. Meyer

The Tea Party hit institutional politics early, and now activists have to grapple with the realities of politics indoors. This is, of course, a common story for social movements in America.  Activists mobilize for broad, often-ill-defined, goals, and then have … Continue reading →

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Contested Conservatism

Posted on January 4, 2011 by David S. Meyer

As the Republicans take control of the House of Representatives and try to flex new muscle in the Senate–and in politics more generally–the conflicts within modern conservatism will become more visible. The label “conservative” has always included contradictory positions, and … Continue reading →

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Painted Grassroots

Posted on December 22, 2010 by David S. Meyer

Reading the sports section of the Sunday New York Times, I was surprised to find a full-page ad attacking the Humane Society of the United States and its president, Wayne Pacelle. The ad reported that HSUS was soft on quarterback/dog … Continue reading →

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Defeats and Victories

Posted on December 21, 2010 by David S. Meyer

Movements don’t disappear after a legislative verdict.  Victories and defeats change calculations about what’s possible and how to go about getting it, but they virtually never–at least in the United States–provide a decisive resolution to the sorts of issues that … Continue reading →

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