Tag Archives: politics

Rap artists have penned plenty of lyrics about US presidents – this course examines what they say about Reagan and the 1980s

Rap artists have penned plenty of lyrics about US presidents – this course examines what they say about Reagan and the 1980s

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Title of course: “Rap, Reagan and the 1980s” What prompted the idea for the course? Actually, it was Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again movement. People seemed shocked by his campaign slogan. But it wasn’t the first time in the U.S. that an entertainer had acted as a populist politician to win the allegiance of working-class […] … learn more→

Blood oil: more than half of the oil traded across the world has been stolen

Blood oil: more than half of the oil traded across the world has been stolen

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Donald Trump tweeted something true recently. Responding to the protests in Iran, the US president stated that “The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered.” Trump’s point is correct: what vice-president Mike Pence called Iran’s “unelected dictators” really have been stealing the oil that belongs to the […] … learn more→

We should all be political, even if we’re not all partisan

We should all be political, even if we’re not all partisan

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Is it possible to be political and nonpartisan simultaneously? It’s a question likely as old as the Republican and Democratic parties themselves. The short answer is yes. According to Merriam Webster, one definition of political is “of, relating to, involving, or involved in politics and especially party politics”. To be political is to be involved […] … learn more→

Far-right rhetorical self-contradictions, Item 1

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On the heels of passing some of the most restrictive abortion legislation in the nation, the North Carolina legislature has just passed a revision of the state’s voting laws that, unarguably, makes it more difficult for many voters to exercise their right to vote. The new law requires photo-ID’s of all voters, regardless of whether […] … learn more→

Louie Gohmert and Ted Nugent, proud to be ignoramuses

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In several earlier posts (see the links below), I have chronicled the ridiculous pronouncements of Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert and “rock legend” and NRA spokesman Ted Nugent. At the risk of giving these two bozos much more attention that they deserve, I think that it is important to chronicle the asinine things that they keep […] … learn more→

Is this a new trend, the new revolving door?

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Critics of our current political system have frequently complained about the “revolving door” through which former legislators and other government officials pass on their way to K Street—to earning riches as lobbyists. But there are some indications that another revolving door may be opening, to the presidential mansions on university campuses. Three U.S. presidents served […] … learn more→

Best of 2012: Banned Books Awareness: “Yertle the Turtle”

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For the third time in recent weeks the Banned Books Awareness series once again focuses on some rather disturbing trends from Canada. Incidents of censorship by the border patrol, negative reactions to fiction based on historical documents, and now it seems Dr. Seuss has been branded too political for the classroom. Yertle the Turtle (1958) […] … learn more→

East Timor\’s Presidential election

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When East Timor’s outgoing president, Jose Ramos-Horta, won office in 2007 by a crushing 69 per cent, many outsiders attributed the victory to his high profile as a campaigner for the country during the 24 years of Indonesian occupation. There is no doubt that Ramos-Horta was well known and well liked within East Timor, as […] … learn more→