When is an Administration a Regime?

I cringe every time I hear some talking head refer to the gang of thieves engaged in an autocratic attempt to overthrow a democracy, however flawed, as “the administration.” Why? Because my first thought is, what exactly are they administering? An administration administrates; it does not plunder. Well, occasionally some do in relatively minor ways. … More When is an Administration a Regime?

(Un)Friendly Persuasion

Photo Credit: Wikipedia For whatever reason, the phrase “friendly persuasion” popped into my head a couple of days ago. “Wasn’t that the title of an old movie?” I thought. Yep! 1956. Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, and Anthony Perkins starred in the “story of a Quaker family in southern Indiana during the American Civil War and … More (Un)Friendly Persuasion

State Secrecy: Collapse or Transformation

A number of books and articles have appeared over the past few years raising the specter of societal collapse. The crises of climate disruption and hyper-inequality in an increasingly unstable U.S. and global economy are converging toward destabilization. These converging destabilizing forces will likely produce some form of radical change –like it or not. But … More State Secrecy: Collapse or Transformation