Quick Comments on the President and Big Business
by Peter Lawler1. So Dr. Pat Deneen on FACEBOOK reminded us that corporate profits are up 161% under Obama. That’s faster than any comparable period since 1900. Pat’s comment: “Some socialist!” 2. Not only that, of course, but the STOCK MARKET is way up under our president. I’m too . . . . Continue Reading »
RIP Bill Sakovich of Ampontan, Champion Blogger
by Carl ScottVery bad news. Bill Sakovich, the writer of what was the best single-foreign-country-specific blog in English that I’ve ever read, Ampontan, a blog on all things Japanese but especially its politics, passed away due to a suddenly-discovered stomach cancer this December 21. I just found . . . . Continue Reading »
Notable New Books I Read in 2012, pt. 1
by Carl ScottThe holiday season was too busy for me to compile this sort of list, especially with a move to a new home thrown in, an event that always makes one ambivalent about book ownership anyhow. “Isn’t time to invest in a Kindle?” was the crack my younger economist friend made as we filled . . . . Continue Reading »
The Republicans, Risk Aversion, And The Limits Of Rhetorical Outreach
by Pete SpiliakosRoberta Costa and Andrew Stiles have written an interesting and mostly heartening article about the House Republican retreat. The House Republicans seem to be asking a lot of the right questions. One section pulled me up a little short: Minority outreach is a priority. Greg Walden, who is . . . . Continue Reading »
Jonah Goldberg Goes William F. Bucklely On Us
by Pete SpiliakosI can’t quote chapter and verse, but sometime after Barry Goldwater’s defeat, William F. Buckley wrote that the political problem for conservatives was that there were not enough political conservatives. Whatever Goldwater’s flaws as a candidate, and whatever the difficulties that . . . . Continue Reading »
Reason, Revelation, and Ralphism
by Peter LawlerWell, the new issue of PERSPECTIVES ON POLITICAL SCIENCE is out. It features diverse and deep symposia on two outstanding recent books: PLATO’S POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY by Mark Blitz and our Ralph Hancock’s THE RESPONSIBILITY OF REASON. Commentators on Ralphism include Ralph himself . . . . Continue Reading »
The Troll’s Favorite Republican (Or The Fantasy of Jon Huntsman)
by Pete SpiliakosIn an earlier post I wrote that establishment Republicans need to avoid showing contempt for the Republican primary voters whose support they need. Super commenter DJF described the Jon Huntsman presidential campaign: John Huntsman – a smart guy who did have some good, conservative ideas . . . . Continue Reading »
GIRLS, THE FOUNTAINHEAD, AND DOWNTON ABBEY
by Peter LawlerSo only have a moment this morning to comment on last night’s TV. Hannah on Girls has CHANGED, although it remains to be seen whether it’s change we can believe in. She’s no longer the victim ready to have sex with anyone who’s ready to exploit her. She thinks of herself as . . . . Continue Reading »
influential
journal of
religion and
public life
Subscribe
Latest Issue
Support First Things
