American Civilization

The issue of immigration has become very hot again in the U.S. with a whole new wave of anti-immigrant sentiment. I always find that somewhat ironic because, after all, Americans are taught from an early age that we’re a nation of immigrants. Currently, there’s been an important case being heard in federal court in Pennsylvania. […]

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I just read in this morning’s paper that a groundbreaking legal action is underway against SNCF. More than 100 Americans have joined this lawsuit against SNCF for transporting thousands of Jews during World War II to transit hubs on their way to their deaths. According to the article in the San Francisco Chronicle, of the […]

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I live close to the city of Berkeley. Some of you may have heard of Berkeley, both as the location of the prestigious University of California, Berkeley, and also as the location of radical student activity during the 1960s and 1970s. Earlier this week the city singled itself out as a leader in its anti-establishment […]

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 Okay, so the jury found Scooter Libby guilty.  Jurors in the trial of former White House aide I. Lewis « Scooter » Libby delivered guilty verdicts on four counts of perjury and obstruction of justice following a four-year probe into the leak of a CIA agent’s name   And, now I’ve heard 3 possible responses: His lawyers will […]

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  I wonder what de Tocqueville would think if he’d been traveling around the U.S. last week.  Despite America’s pride in democracy and civil rights, just look at what’s happened in the last week or so: “Scooter” Libby’s conviction: First of all, the vice-president’s former chief of staff, was convicted last week.  He was found […]

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I’ve just learned a new term in English. And, I’m not talking about something one eats… Part of the troop “surge” plan for Iraq is to send in more members of the National Guard. The members of the National Guard are civilians (not active military) who serve their country, state, and community on a part-time […]

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Last  Wednesday the Supreme Court heard the first major religion case to come before the court since the addition of Bush’s two appointees, Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel Alito.  The case involves a group from the state of Wisconsin called Freedom From Religion.  In 2004 this group challenged Bush’s “faith-based initiative” on […]

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Might there be a change in the Bush administration’s approach to diplomacy?  Might there be the realization that it’s helpful to dialogue with perceived enemies?  Might the “D” word – diplomacy – been discovered?  That is the question.  Remember that this current administration stated quite strongly that it wouldn’t talk with North Korea.  Even hopeful […]

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There’s an interesting new web site to track American political life. It’s called tech President: http://techpresident.com/ The purpose of this site is to act as an interpreter “to help people understand how the Internet is changing politics on a daily basis, ” said Micah Sifry, the site’s co-founder and editor in a recent article Newsweek […]

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What’s the difference between a “joint resolution” and a “concurrent resolution”? And, why does it matter?   Last week the House of Representatives passed a “concurrent resolution” when it demonstrated its disapproval of the surge of troops to Iraq.  It turns out that that category of a resolution means absolutely nothing.  It’s only symbolic.  On the […]

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