First Links — 1.30.12

Actually, Gay Marriage Is Discriminatory Patrick Lee, Public Discourse HHS Mandate No Liberal Victory Ross Douthat, New York Times Rabbis Face Off Over Kosher Jesus Randy Boswell, National Post Germany Has Fastest Growing Jewish Population Ofer Adaret, Haaretz Time to Press for Vouchers Charles J. . . . . Continue Reading »

Crackup of the Catholic Left

What’s going on with the Catholic left? Michael Sean Winters drew wide notice for his break with the Obama administration over its contraceptive and abortifacient mandate last week, and many eyebrows were raised when the fiercely liberal Cardinal Mahony of Los Angeles began denouncing the . . . . Continue Reading »

Grading On A Curve

Dr. Ceaser is right that we should consider the situation when looking at what a particular debating performance tells us about a candidate’s future debating ability.  Herman Cain’s boomlet was built on his debate performances.  A necessary condition of those performances was . . . . Continue Reading »

The Professor and Marianne

Well, I’ve been waiting to use this headline—an erudite reference to the GILLIGAN’S ISLAND theme song—in reference to Gingrich and his second and vengeful ex-wife. I thought I’d better use it now, just in case Newt unexpectedly drops out after a poor showing Tuesday. . . . . Continue Reading »

The Professor Grades

In grading candidates in debates, don’t let’s forget the rhetorical situation. It’s much easier to appear high-minded when no one is attacking you because you don’t count much, politically, for the moment. That would be Rick Santorum. He performed well enough last week, and . . . . Continue Reading »

An Eroding Taboo

A couple additions from The Tablet on the subject of yesterday’s Limited Commemorations , pointing out that much of the worrisome statements comes from liberal organizations: The Hitler Test , in which a Weekly Standard  writer argues that The editors of magazines and newspapers have a . . . . Continue Reading »

Perfectly Not Wrong

Not long ago I ran across a modern translation of Hamlet’s famous soliloquy on death. Shakespeare’s original is on the page above it, providing a most instructive comparison. The translation does a fine job of capturing the passage’s propositional content. I can imagine how much it . . . . Continue Reading »