Spirited Reasoners know that the person who occupies the position of Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives is third in line to the Presidency. That fact made Speaker…
Manchin-Schumer: The Strange Timing
Yesterday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer announced that he had reached an agreement with Senator Joe Manchin on a downscaled version of President Biden’s “Build-Back-Better” initiative. The new measure, referred…
The Right to Contraception: 195 Republicans Say No
There was a time when members of Congress were sometimes accused of sponsoring “Mom and apple pie legislation.” Examples were bills in the form of resolutions honoring veterans and other…
Which Party Is Which?
There was a time when it was fairly easy to distinguish a Democrat from a Republican. Democrats believed in the goodness of government (after all, a democratically elected, representative government…
American Extremists: Impatient with Democracy
Taking walks with family members is one of this Spirited Reasoner’s favorite daily activities. Last week, as we attempted to cross a busy street, a motorist stopped, waving for us…
Does Clarence Thomas Oppose Loving?
This week’s blog title seems a bit odd. That’s because “Loving” is not meant to function as a verb (or gerund, for you grammar nerds.) It stands for the Supreme…
The U. S. Supreme Court: Liberal, Conservative, or What?
Spirited Reasoners can recall a time when labels like “Liberal” and “Conservative” meant something. Liberals tended to believe in the goodness of government. After all, our government reflects the majority…
The MAGA Agenda: Neo-Know-Nothings
Like most Spirited Reasoners, I have spent much of the past six years trying to figure out what it is that MAGA voters want. Despite the daily presence of Donald…
January 6th: So What?
I confess to being somewhat surprised by the power and depth of the revelations disclosed this past week by the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on…
Accountability and the 2nd Amendment
What seems lacking in the debate about gun control in the United States is any mention of accountability, other than the occasional reference to liability for gun manufacturers. My guess…