From Orwell in Spain to Trump and Putin: Orwell as Antidote to Stalinism and Fascism, Then and Now

From Stalinist show-trials in Spain to Jim Jordan’s Judiciary Committee, history is repeating itself and it is terrifying as Trump,…

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In Possible Government Shutdown, Trump and Republicans Lucky We’re Not Living in Ancient Rome

Author’s note: as I repost this for Real Context News as Trump enters the third year of his presidency, we are in midst of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, one lasting already over a month. My below analysis is still deeply relevant, sadly: Trump began his first and now second anniversaries of taking office mired self-inflicted shutdowns. ***** Though I originally published this article in the…

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The Limits of Racial Progress: Obama, Clinton, Trump, & Sanders: Why Some Whites Shifted to Trump & What That Tells Us About Racism In America Today

For Many white Americans, a candidate of color who stays away from focusing on racial issues or from pushing whites…

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Trump, the Specter of Political Violence, & Lessons From the Roman Republic (Or, We Have a Problem America!)

Trump’s flirtatious waltz with hints and threats of political violence cannot be ignored and should not be underestimated. Apart from…

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Jim Webb Probably Best Trump VP Pick: Independents & Conservative Democrats Likelier To Consider Trump with Webb than with Women or Minority Running Mates

It’s not a convincing argument that Trump picking a woman or a person of color will do much or anything to…

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How W. Bush & Obama Paved Way for Trump: A History of Risky Precedents for Becoming President

Without George W. Bush’s presidency, it’s hard to imagine Obama’s 2008 victory; without both, it’s hard to imagine Trump being…

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Clinton vs. Sanders In-Depth: Past, Present, & Future, or, My Olive Branch to Camp Sanders

Author’s note: as I write this while Bernie Sanders is considering a second presidential run, it should be remembered that…

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The Sandernista Political Revolution Handbook: A Matchup Game of Bernie Sanders’ Talking Points & Those of His Fans/Supporters

Author’s note: in the nearly three years since I created this chart, it is clear little has changed for Sanders…

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Caesar & the Politics of the Fall of the Roman Republic: Lessons for USA Today

On the Ides of March, the anniversary of Caesar’s assassination, we would do well to consider Caesar and the fall…

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This Map Proves Sanders’ Political Revolution a Delusional Fantasy, or, My 1 Question for Bernie

“How, Bernie?” The math and data that show why the “political revolution” can’t and won’t happen anytime soon.  Originally published on…

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Scott Walker’s Weak Wisconsin Record

What His Candidacy Says About Today’s GOP Republican Presidential Candidate Scott Walker’s Record as Governor of Wisconsin Is, Objectively, Hardly an…

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Black & White II: The REAL Confederate Cause & Its Southern Opposition

The rebel “Confederate” flag is much less of a problem than the values and system it represents. The romanticization of…

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Top Political & Foreign Policy Lessons from Game of Thrones

Top ten political and foreign policy lessons from Game of Thrones, or, how Game of Thrones can rescue us from…

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Welcome to the Era of Rising Democratic Fascism Part I: Defining Democracy, Fascism, and Democratic Fascism Usefully, and Spin vs. Lies

Fascism comes in many forms; if Hitler and genocide can be one end of the spectrum, there’s plenty of room…

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