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Is The United States Of America A Christian Nation?

As many have mentioned, the attitudes of many of the Founding Fathers about the intersection of religion and government, or the lack thereof, was the result of the previous 150 years of difficult history in Europe.

The Protestant Reformation really kicked it off; essentially a rebellion from the established Roman Catholic Church. The whole idea of the Reformation was to reject the centralized authority of Rome, repudiate the “unholy alliance” between Catholic Kings and Rome, and establish a wholly local form of religious governance.

Our Evangelical Christians today are the descendants and beneficiaries of the Protestant Reformation. Their Christian Churches are largely self-governing, and their Protestant tradition of a “Priesthood of all believers” grants them the freedom to express themselves so ardently on matters of religious belief. This was not the case under Rome and the Catholic monarchies.

What a tragic situation for the Evangelical Churches today and their members, that so many are in the process of repudiating the very philosophic basis for their existence by pushing for religion in government. It’s all the more ironic to have them imagine the Founding Fathers on their side.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On July 3, 2014 @ 5:28 am

The Whys And Wherefores Of Suing The President

Yes, the Tea Partiers are certainly impatient. There might be good reason for that. So many of the Tea Party politicians are steeped in the Evangelical Christian approach, which plays out at the Church and community level all the time:

1) Firmly holding (fundamental) beliefs in the face of contrary evidence
2) Heedless of others outside the fold (everybody else)
3) Pressing forward, hectoring others with apocalyptic rhetoric
4) Welcoming destruction; a harbinger of resurrection (true believers will be saved).
5) Anticipating and rejoicing in rejection; as proof of righteousness
6) Welcoming banishment; recreating Exodus and receiving special (self rewarded) status as the chosen ones
7) Returning from exile to complete the cycle and start anew.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 30, 2014 @ 10:36 am

Yes, this lawsuit seems to be a recently concocted and somewhat harebrained stalling tactic. As you suggest , perhaps just a prelude to a run at impeachment. In the political context, I see the timing as all-important. It’s too late in 2014 for impeachment; the crescendo needs to come at the right time in 2016 to taint the Democratic party candidates with guilt by association.

I don’t know how the GOP could be any more cynical – but when the agenda is destruction, there are so many paths to follow.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 30, 2014 @ 9:54 am

The 2018 Congressional Republican Orientation Handbook

“Laughing and crying, you know it’s the same release.” – Joni Mitchell

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On July 2, 2014 @ 6:17 am

The Price Of Everything

Murph, not so much a thesis, as a piece of the puzzle. But if there is one observation to be drawn, it is that, while manufactured goods continue to be (relatively) affordable, the things that really matter for quality of life have increased in price disproportionately: healthcare and education being the glaring examples.

Now what to make of political spending, the startling outlier? For some time I have been thinking about political spending as the result of investment decisions made by those who expect a return. So this begs the question, what changed to make the investment so much more attractive, such as to justify investing so much more? And who are the primary investors: corporations? rich people? the common man?

Put this together with the other more recent trends in campaign spending: codifying the unbridled investment; and obfuscating the sources.

It rather stinks, doesn’t it?

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 30, 2014 @ 8:19 pm

I had a ’79. Bought it new ($4,900) as a reward for getting a good job.

Pro: Ford recaptured some of the original look in the body style.

Con: With the 4 cyl engine, it was a sheep in wolf’s clothing. Baaaaaaa.

My wife wrecked it in ’82. Yeah, that back end tended to lose traction.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 30, 2014 @ 9:39 am

The Weekend Music Thread-Creatures Great and Small

OK, my apologies in advance.


» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 28, 2014 @ 10:09 am

What is a Humperdinck anyway?

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 28, 2014 @ 10:04 am

Haha! I was looking at that also.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 28, 2014 @ 10:03 am

Hey kids! Do you want to drive Mom and Dad crazy on Christmas morning?


» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 28, 2014 @ 10:02 am

This one will take you back to the Summer of Love and the Days of Rage. Where did I put that black light?


» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 28, 2014 @ 9:04 am

A song about a simple bird.


» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 28, 2014 @ 8:57 am

Or how about a large, magical lizard?


» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 28, 2014 @ 8:48 am

Well, golly. Animal songs, eh? How about a song about a horse?


» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 28, 2014 @ 8:40 am

McDaniel Lost…The Shot Heard Around The World

Chris McDaniel thought he was going to be the next Ted Cruz. Instead, he’s out of the race, and throwing a fit about it. I suppose he could show up on Fox soon as their Southern Strategy Analyst.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 28, 2014 @ 12:00 am

The Weekend Music Thread-Ladies Night

No fair putting “Fast Car” up top. I’ve been stuck on that song for 25 years.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 21, 2014 @ 9:39 am

Thanks for that. Simple and powerful.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 21, 2014 @ 9:37 am

Too many choices!

Let’s start with a lady that inspired me and my college buddies – Tina Turner

When I was a little more settled down – Sade made for contemplative Sunday afternoon

I have a soft spot for Jimi Hendrix, so how to work that in? Here’s Patti Cathcart (Tuck and Patti) doing a fine medley.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 21, 2014 @ 9:31 am

Scott Brown’s Lack of Moral Imagination

Beatriz, I think you captured the essence of Mr. Brown.

That lack of moral imagination might also be called lack of empathy. In almost all circumstances in life, except perhaps in the heat of battle, empathy is a good thing, enhancing the bonds between people, and making a group of people more effective than the individuals alone.

Yet empathy became a four letter word when Obama used it in describing the qualities desired of a Supreme Court nominee. He went on to say,

“I will seek someone who understands that justice isn’t about some abstract legal theory or footnote in a casebook,” he said. “It’s also about how our laws affect the daily realities of people’s lives — whether they can make a living and care for their families, whether they feel safe in their homes and welcome in their own nation.”

Yes, Scott Brown lacks moral imagination (I personally think he lacks imagination in general), but he is part of a movement that sees empathy as a bad thing when it might lead to betterment for all people, and not just your own.

And then there is this:

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 19, 2014 @ 8:47 pm

Congress Does the Limbo

As a “radio guy”, I think we are down in the noise.

Many years ago, I heard of a “famous persons” poll. It included a simple question: Who is the President of the US? At the time, 10% could not name the President. I have thought about that over the years, and I developed a maxim:

At any given time, 10% of the people are truly out to lunch.

They probably could not tell you how many hours are in a day, but they might profess the universe is 6,000 years old.

Congress? I think I heard of them. Yeah, they’re OK, I guess.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 20, 2014 @ 8:12 pm

For an off-topic post, that was a winner!

John Lennon (and others before him) are attributed with the saying,

“Life is what happens to us while we are busy making other plans.”

[edited for additional words of wisdom]
“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
and,
“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 20, 2014 @ 7:56 pm

For those who haven’t seen this in a while:
http://pjmedia.com/zombie/2010/11/11/the-top-ten-most-gerrymandered-congressional-districts-in-the-united-states/

BTW, I think gerrymandering is a bipartisan affliction, but I would not be surprised if the GOP has been more active lately.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 20, 2014 @ 9:02 am

Who Saved the Cuyahoga River?

This is a mystery, because even the big business types have been grudging supporters of many of the environmental laws. Now don’t laugh! Years ago, manufacturers, mining, and energy companies were generally opponents, but you don’t hear much from them today? Why is that?

Efficiency and cost savings. It turns out that environmental rules present an interesting choice to many of the big businesses: 1) invest in pollution control systems, or 2) invest in waste minimization. In turns out, one of those choices both reduces pollution and adds to the bottom line.

I recently read an interview with Amory Lovins, who is an energy guru. He basically said the same thing about the energy sector. Private companies will choose energy efficiency and alternative energy sources over conventional ones, because PROFITS matter.

Forget about Congress! When it comes to energy efficiency, and environmental regulation, we have all we need to make big gains. I think Obama realized this over the past year; hence, initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases within the framework of existing laws.

And the right wing howls!

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 17, 2014 @ 7:07 am

I agree the rise of the Christian right was a big factor. And they are back now with a vengeance.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 17, 2014 @ 1:51 am

Thanks, Murph. Yeah, you got my point. That’s the nature of my prose. I like to weave and outline and let you be the judge.

But I often ponder – when did we go crazy? Was it the shock of Vietnam, the oil embargo, and the Iran hostage crisis? How could we follow Carter with Reagan? When I look at graphs of economic trends in the US, there often seems to be a break-point in the late 70’s/early 80’s. Bad policy or something else?

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 16, 2014 @ 8:32 pm

Nirek, thanks for the reminder about LBJ. I have a sort of blind spot for him. I think it’s called the Vietnam War.

You mentioning solar energy reminds me of another topic I want to dig into. Solar subsidies – are they too much or too little? This is something that bothers me, because I want solar to succeed, but I worry that the subsidies are too aggressive.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 16, 2014 @ 8:25 pm

Ad Lib, I appreciate your passion about this issue. I developed a passion for the environment when I was a teenager. I was very much an outdoor kid. The woods and the swamps were a playground for me and my friends. But the destruction of those places was pretty evident. And then there were startling indications; like rivers in Vermont running brilliant red or green, from the dyes used in woolen mills.

But while I was passionate about the environment, I was not so thrilled about environmentalists. I just didn’t see the sufficiency of all the rhetoric and protest. I wanted to do something to turn around the destruction. So in freshman year of college, I switched from electrical engineering to environmental engineering. I credit a visiting professor from New Zealand for inspiring me. He hosted an intersession course called, “Field Trips to Water and Sewage Treatment Plants”. Sounds fascinating, huh?

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 16, 2014 @ 8:20 pm

Ouch! However, I would question how you could classify any dog as a Republican. Dogs are socialists!

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 16, 2014 @ 8:13 pm

Ha! Thanks for that one. Cleveland was very much a working-man’s town during our industrial heyday.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 16, 2014 @ 8:09 pm

Yes, Monica, Nixon was a complex personality, and it is difficult to reconcile his various actions. At bottom, I think he was a political cynic. So I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek describing him as a “hero” of the environmental movement. In fact, he was strongly disliked by environmentalists, but even more so by anti-war activists, and by those who couldn’t stand his sweaty upper lip.

But he did sign all of those acts for whatever scheming reasons, and the fact that they got to his desk was evidence that Congress also was working.

» Posted By phoenixdoglover On June 16, 2014 @ 8:07 pm