Category: Among the Barbarians

“We officially no longer give a shit when family farms fail. Fewer family farms equal fewer rural voters.” (The Urban Archipelago, It’s the Cities, Stupid., by The Editors of The Stranger (11/11/04)) Whoa Nellie! The heartland isn’t as red as it might appear. Take Fresno. Please. The former Raisin Capital of the World is now…

It’s the Greeks versus the Romans. This editorial from the Stranger (The Urban Archipelago, It’s the Cities, Stupid., by The Editors of The Stranger (11/11/04)) makes it clear: The Democrats are party of cities. The Republicans are the party of the heartland. Grow our base, say the editors of the Stranger. Press urban issues. If…

Liberals often complain that the liberal “brand” has become sullied by its relentless tarring from the right as the philosophy of weakness, equivocation, elitism, wastefulness, and self-delusion. This is nothing new. Kennedy had to defend the term liberal long before Dukakis danced around it. Kerry ducked it and couldn’t resist the liberals’ favorite sophist tactic:…

Out here on the Left Coast things are looking curiouser and curioser. Detroit is threatening to sue us for requiring cars in California to pollute less. Do they really care that much? Yes, because four other states peg their auto emission standards to California’s, and three more intend to follow suit. And why does California…

Some call it the Left Coast and others dismiss it as a fantastical realm of gurus and gayness but today I want you to think of it as the birthplace of the Republican Emperor on this the officially declared day of mourning for Ronald Reagan, late president of the Empire and former governor of the…