Josh and I have been discussing Pound's angry letter in response to an editor's critical comments on Joyce's manuscript of Portrait of the Artist. We've been using this letter as a proxy for our larger, ongoing debate about the uses and abuses of anger in contemporary (mostly political) discussion. But, as it stands, this way … Continue reading On Political Anger
Tag: politics
Arizona, Gay Rights, and the Unhappy Marriage of Libertarianism and Conservatism (or, why saying “I’m a libertarian” doesn’t give you a free pass)
Libertarianism, just as much as "social conservativism" poses a danger for minority rights of all kinds. If you support the cause of gay marriage, anti-Jim Crow civil rights, etc., you should not be a libertarian. If you think homophobic laws are wrong, you should also think economically unequal social arrangements are just as bad. I'll … Continue reading Arizona, Gay Rights, and the Unhappy Marriage of Libertarianism and Conservatism (or, why saying “I’m a libertarian” doesn’t give you a free pass)
Escape Fire: Rescuing the American Health Care System
I teach Medical Ethics at Fitchburg State University, and so naturally the Nursing students thought that I would be a good fit for their panel discussion following a screening of Escape Fire: Rescuing the American Health Care System. This documentary was released in 2012, and has some won some awards (Best Documentary Produced Within the Last … Continue reading Escape Fire: Rescuing the American Health Care System
How did we get this finance industry?
As a share of American GDP, the finance industry has doubled in size in the past 40 years, to over 30% of American Corporate profits. Many argue that this presents a real problem for the long-term stability of the U.S. economy. I argue that it presents real concerns for both social justice and the health … Continue reading How did we get this finance industry?
How medicare sets hospital prices
The great Uwe Reinhardt presents a useful primer to the discussion of health care reform that should interest OPers (mindful as they are of the importance of primary social goods). I supervised a remarkably thoughtful (and empirically informed) thesis on Health Care Justice last semester, which brought into sharp relief the ridiculousness of the public … Continue reading How medicare sets hospital prices
More on Living within our Means
Here.
The Media, Pennant-Racing, and Living Within Our Means
A popular narrative of the recent election is that Americans are fed up with the federal government’s inability to “live within its means.” Real American people have to; state governments have to (more or less); the federal government should as well. I could write for days about the ways in which the analogy from personal … Continue reading The Media, Pennant-Racing, and Living Within Our Means
Wealthy Society out of Balance?
I thought I ought to follow the example of my fellow original positioners and post from my summer reading list. Today's reading was John K. Galbraith's The Affluent Society (1958). Galbraith begins his famous chapter on the "Theory of Social Balance" with the following claim: "The final problem of the productive society is what it … Continue reading Wealthy Society out of Balance?
Debt, Stimulus, and Health Care Reform
Bloggingheads considers the long-term fiscal ramifications of legislation passed under the Obama administration.
Original Positions 