The 18th Brumaire of Donald Trump

“History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.” — Karl Marx (The 18th Brumaire of Louis Napoleon)

Napoleon III: Then everything is lost. Bismarck: Yes, quite right. Everything, really is lost –Exchange upon Napoleon III’s surrender…

Random Observations on Attending a Presidential Address

Last week I had the privilege of attending as the guest of Congresswoman Louis Slaughter the address by President Trump to a joint session of Congress. By now there have been hundreds of comments about the speech from all kinds of…

Frequently Asked Questions about Long Term Care Insurance

As an actuary with some experience on Long Term Care Insurance (LTCI) I am frequently asked questions about the coverage. This is an attempt to record the most common questions and answers.

How twitter reinforces writing the same way that a rat in a Skinner box is reinforced with food

Ever wonder why you become inpatient waiting for a response to a text, or why it’s gratifying to notice the “likes” on your Facebook page? Psychologists who study…

Brahms and Democratic Leadership

When I was 17 I purchased my first stereo. My oldest sister gave me a recording of Brahms’ 2nd Piano Concerto as a gift, a life changing gift. The first, second and third times I listened to it, I didn’t get it, no, not at all. This was unacceptable — I wasn’t about to…

The AHCA: Now We Know

About a month and a half ago, I participated in a rally held by Congresswoman Louise Slaughter to protest against the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act. At that time, I said that under Republican plans ‘who knows’ what the individual market for health insurance will look like.

Random Reactions to the ACA Victory!

1. Please never tell me there is no difference between the Democratic and Republican parties. Never. Really, never.

2. In the light of day, good policy beats bad politics every time.

Dignity and the Wellsprings of American Politics: Part 1

It is customary to describe American politics in terms of traditional ideological categories — liberal vs. conservative — or discrete issue polarities — such as disputes over the size of government — or in terms of…

The Lagging Geographic Basis of (Liberal) Social Change

Read any reasonably serious, but conventional, discussion of the 2016 election and the geographic shape of American politics and you’ll find some version of the following statements: