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Ah, Iowa...and the shadowy hand of the technocracy...
To those who look to the god of technology to deliver us from the climate crisis, I offer two words of caution: Iowa caucuses. Make that...

David Matthews
Feb 11, 20205 min read
A State of the Union like no other
It is not necessary to channel the spirit of James Madison to conclude that the state of the union is a mess. Only the impeached Donald...

David Matthews
Feb 6, 20204 min read
An eternal pessimist reflects on the campaign and turns in desperation to a call for humor
There is rumbling along the fault lines in the Democratic Party. The candidates are testy. Alliances and detentes are strained. Honorable...

David Matthews
Jan 24, 20207 min read


Impeachment eve rallies: we do what we can
There is a scene in the film Jojo Rabbit where young Jojo and his mother (Scarlett Johansson) come upon members of the anti-Nazi...

David Matthews
Dec 19, 20192 min read
The unseemly campaign to take down Pete Buttigieg
Pete Buttigieg has incurred the wrath of the wokescenti (and I may be risking the same). The knives are out. Mayor Pete's offenses, it...

David Matthews
Dec 8, 20196 min read
Out on the left bank of the spirit (Part III)
Whereupon I forge onward with hope I can wrap things up with some semblance of lucidity. Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre became part of...

David Matthews
Nov 29, 201911 min read
watching the hearings and, oh yes, a debate
Each morning I tuned in to the House Intelligence Committee's impeachment hearings with the intention to watch just enough to get a feel...

David Matthews
Nov 24, 20195 min read
Iran, Graham, Bharara…and horrifying ellipsis…
Am I the only one who is puzzled by the characterization of Iran's nuclear enrichment activities as violations of the nuclear accord?...

David Matthews
Nov 7, 20193 min read
Profiles in genius
Once again President Neville Chamberlain Trump has astounded himself with his strategic genius, mastery of the diplomatic arts, and...

David Matthews
Oct 30, 20194 min read
Somewhat belated and highly subjective impressions from Tuesday's debate
Commentary about Tuesday's debate was delayed when a vicious cold laid me low. It began with a sore throat that came on Tuesday afternoon...

David Matthews
Oct 19, 20196 min read


Impeachment March
My thought upon first seeing an announcement about yesterday's impeachment march was that I would attend more in the spirit of being an...

David Matthews
Oct 15, 20194 min read
Marie Yovanovitch is a hero for our time
Marie Yovanovitch epitomizes what is best in those who serve in our government and what is best in the sometimes idealized vision we hold...

David Matthews
Oct 12, 20191 min read


Is this the twilight of the American experiment?
We fully expected the White House to delay, deny, obstruct, and stonewall the House impeachment inquiry. This has been the regime's...

David Matthews
Oct 10, 20193 min read
The curious case of Lindsey Graham
Senator Lindsey Graham earned this week's nomination for a Profiles in Cowardice Award, Bootlicker Category. After Trump's election...

David Matthews
Oct 5, 20195 min read
An unseemly rush to judgment in Portland
Like many Portland comrades I was troubled by the revelation of friendly texts exchanged between Portland Police Bureau (PPB) Lt. Jeff...

David Matthews
Sep 27, 20195 min read
What caught my eye today on the Ukrainian front
I could hardly get away with calling this a blog if I didn't weigh in with a few comments about today's revelations and sundry reactions...

David Matthews
Sep 26, 20193 min read


The appeal to principle; and, impeachment, a reassessment
The call for impeachment is couched in lofty appeal to principle. No one is above the law. The president must be held accountable. Who...

David Matthews
Sep 24, 20195 min read


Climate strike Portland
I have not seen a crowd estimate, so let's just say a boatload, many Portlanders young and...not so young...joined concerned, committed...

David Matthews
Sep 21, 20191 min read
Why I still think of myself as a man of the left (Part 3 of 3)
The hobgoblin of a consistency, foolish or otherwise, haunts precious few partisans on either side of the great divide. Left and right...

David Matthews
Sep 15, 20195 min read
Why I still think of myself as a man of the left (Part 2 of 3)
I tend to think of conservatism when I think of the right and of Edmund Burke when I think of conservatism. There is of course more to...

David Matthews
Sep 15, 201910 min read
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