Jordan’s Civil Society Comes of Age

It seems most people—including many Jordanians—have failed to realize how wonderful the past few weeks here in Jordan have been…

Continue Reading →

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…

Continue Reading →

Redistricting at Heart of DC Dysfunction: Gerrymandering Making Politics More Partisan

Though originally published in the fall of 2013, my piece on how partisan redistricting gerrymandering was the root cause for…

Continue Reading →

What We Can Expect from Trump & My Message to Iranians on Trump: Prove Him Wrong by Fighting for Peace & Human Rights

The Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA) conducted another interview with me (see previous one here) a few weeks ago about…

Continue Reading →

Even Without Trump, American Politics Is Pathetic, & VP Debate Is Proof

Anyone looking for reassurance from that vice-presidential debate, especially after seeing Trump in two debates, would still have seen one…

Continue Reading →

Second Debate Shows American Democracy Is Failing

Author’s note: even before Trump won, it was clear that America was damaged and in trouble, that certain trends that…

Continue Reading →

Republic of Georgia Shows Trump & His Fans Depressingly Normal: Just Another Ethno-centric Nationalist Movement

Author’s note: as Trump’s presidency unfolds into its third year, the idea that Trumpism really is little more than banal…

Continue Reading →

10 Reasons for Liberals to Worry About Election Besides Trump / Clinton Debate

It’s kinda time to panic for liberals; regardless of how the public reacts to the debate, here are 10 reasons…

Continue Reading →

DNC E-mail Leak Scandal: Not Much of a Scandal, Blown Way Out of Proportion: A Politics 101 Primer on Party Organization

Ultimately, the information revealed in the DNC e-mail hacks (by the Russian government!) “shockingly” revealed that people who were staffers…

Continue Reading →

Brexit Heralds End of Positive Era & Possible Lurch Towards Awful One for Europe & World

Least among the problems posed by the UK’s Brexit vote to leave the EU are the actual effects that will…

Continue Reading →

Sandernista Political Terrorism II: Sanders Derangement Syndrome, the Liberal Tea Party, & How Nevada Riot Pretty Much Sums Up Team Bernie

Author’s note: with a Bernie Sanders candidacy again looming over the Democratic Party and the country as a whole, here…

Continue Reading →

Orlando Terror Sad Reminder of Rise of Hate & Violence in World & West

Violence and hate feed each other, as the violence in the Middle East shows; the West must be careful not to play…

Continue Reading →

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…

Continue Reading →

GOP to Unify Behind Trump, Cease Circus, Game Has Changed Since Debate; Democrats to Face Stronger GOP in Fall, Sanders Must Tone Down Clinton Attacks

Game Has Changed Since Debate; Democrats to Face Stronger GOP in Fall, Sanders Must Tone Down Clinton Attacks Before last…

Continue Reading →

I Declare War on Bernie Sanders and His Fans: Why They May Become the Liberal Tea Party and Why They Must Be Stopped

Bernie Sanders and his supporters are not good for Democrats, and they will only empower Republicans and the likely nominee,…

Continue Reading →