We never hear the word “usury” anymore. The early Christian Fathers taught that usury was a sin for which one could be damned to Hell. It was considered to be equivalent to robbery. Usury, of course, is the lending of money for interest. The charging of interest is basic to modern capitalism. Capitalists refer to … Read more
Since at least the 1890’s, the phrase “Lies, damned lies, and statistics” has been used to diminish the persuasive value of numbers in an argument. A person who uses that phrase is trying to weaken the persuasive case of an opponent by implying that “statistics” can be found to support any point of view. On … Read more
We now live in a state of “malignant normality.” Lies, assertions, accusations, misinformation, and disinformation flow freely and routinely from the White House and from Fox News. They then get amplified by elected Republicans and through social media to a gullible public. The coronavirus pandemic is highlighting the danger of this situation. A few days … Read more
Marxism, at least as implemented in the failed former Soviet Union, was heavily criticized in the United States in 1950s and 60’s as “godless communism.” However, despite the efforts of the Soviet Communist Party to destroy religion by confiscating religious property, harassing, persecuting, even executing believers, and promoting atheism in the schools and in the … Read more
On January 21,2010 the Supreme Court decided that “Political spending is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment, and the government may not keep corporations or unions from spending money to support or denounce individual candidates in elections.” This was the infamous “Citizens United” decision. People generally don’t know that the organization called … Read more
The Business Roundtable is an “association of chief executive officers of America’s leading companies” who claim to be “working to promote a thriving U.S. economy and expanded opportunity for all Americans through sound public policy.” In other words, it is a lobby group for billionaires. On August 19, 2019, the Business Roundtable issued a “Statement … Read more
We in the United States like to think that we live in a representative democracy. We are attracted to Lincoln’s optimistic idea that America stands for “government of the people, by the people, and for the people” We have been taught that, despite the wrangling that occurs, our political processes eventually result in government policies … Read more
April 15th is known as “Tax Day” in the United States because our Federal and State Income tax returns are due on that day. It is a tradition for US citizens to complain and grumble about taxes, but I propose another perspective. We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more … Read more