It was a fairy tale premise: Once upon a time a charismatic prince appeared magically and gave an inspiring, instantly famous speech. Four years later he was leading the most powerful kingdom in the world from the brink of disaster. 

Believable, isn’t it? But, as Ken Silverstein revealed in Harpers long before the 2008 presidential election, by the time Barack Obama gave his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention he “had already undergone an equally successful but much quieter audition with Democratic Party leaders and fund-raisers, without whose support he would surely...

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Isn't it a good thing Boston and 9/11 have almost nothing in common?

Talking about the Boston Patriots' Day bombings in a 500-word statement on the Senate floor April 16, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell did what he's paid to do, he played politics with a terrible event about which he has no special knowledge.

He began reasonably enough: "Today, the thoughts of every American are with the people of Boston, but especially with the many victims of yesterday's horrendous attacks, and their families."

That's hyperbole, of course, and there's no way he can know if it's true,...

By Vidda Crochetta

What is it about the future we seem to fear so much? Will we all end by “dining on ashes” paralyzed like lumps of coal on a fire? Will there be any free space left to sit on the ground “and tell sad stories of the death of kings?”

As published in Voice of America by Julie Taboh, April 29, 2013:  

Aluminum is everywhere. From airplanes to cooking pans, this versatile, light-weight metal has been around for generations.

And its many benefits have made life easier and more convenient for millions of people. But a new documentary portrays what the filmmaker describes as the "dark side" of aluminum.

It’s in the cans we drink out of...

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In a personal blog post titled "A Commentary on the Marathon Murders," Richard Falk begins by describing Boston's "dominant reactions" to the Patriots' Day bombing as being full of compassion for the victims, resolve to catch the perpetrators, and an urge to restore normalcy as swiftly as possible:

In this spirit, it is best to avoid dwelling on the gory details by darkly glamorizing the scene of mayhem with flowers and homage. It is better to move forward with calm resolve and a re-commitment to the revolutionary ideals that midwifed the birth of the American nation. 

Such responses are generally...

Confucius said that the health of a nation could be determined by the integrity of its homes. If we apply that standard, we’re in trouble.

Culturally, most Americans don’t even have homes anymore. They have houses, not homes. Homes are something that are made, not bought. And, homes, thus, require homemakers. That’s right, plural: homemakers. I’m not talking about just women. And, I’m not talking about Ozzie and Harriet stereotypical housewives.

I am talking about what Dr....

Who Are The Terrorists, And Can You Know One When You See One? 

How is President Obama NOT a terrorist, like President Bush and other presidents before him? What does it mean to be a terrorist? Isn’t someone who commits or colludes in a terrorist act quite simply a terrorist? What is a terrorist act? Isn’t a terrorist act an act of violence designed to murder, main, and terrorize civilians?

Is there a difference between a terrorist act and an act of war? Not necessarily. The bombing of London 1941 and Hiroshima 1945 were acts of war,...

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Our MOST LIKELY TO SECEDE book tour kicked off in fine fashion @ Shiretown Books (LINK) in Woodstock, Vermont on Saturday, April 13 with a celebration to honor of Thomas Jefferson's 270th birthday and our new book. 
2VR cake and candles included!

Thanks to everyone who came out for a provocative discussion about the nature of Vermont independence.

Special thanks to Shiretown Books for hosting our event.

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