As the World Turns: Control the throne

A new strategy for Democratic government

By Ed Rogers

From my most recent novel, Unwanted President:

Adam Weishaupt realized that the real power was with those who controlled the seat of power, not with the one who happened to be sitting on the throne. [p. 71]
    [President] Benton forgot the rule of rules: the power is always in the dark behind the throne. [p. 277]

The Loneliest Liberal: Trump at the dinner table

Business as usual

By James Knudsen

We are currently in the midst of the latest drama to come out of the Trump White House. It is alleged that President Trump asked then-FBI Chief James Comey to “let go” of the Russia investigation. I offer the following explanation of the thinking – er, the mindset – behind that statement. I’m not making an apology and I’m not excusing a President seeking to make an uncomfortable situation go away. My only hope is to illuminate.

First Saturday as the World Turns

A little of the shine has worn off Pura Vida

By Ed Rogers

I have lived in Costa Rica for almost two years now. While I still love living here, I have begun to see cracks in my idea of the Costa Rican government.

First Saturday as the World Turns

The Southern voter

By Ed Rogers

[The first of Ed Rogers's new monthly column appeared on November 2.]

Let’s face it, I’m a Democrat. My mother, father, and grandparents were Democrats. All the way back to the New Deal, the South was Democrat. It was the New Deal—or government if you will—that brought the South indoor plumbing so people no longer needed to rush across their yard to the outhouse. Because of the New Deal, or government, the South got electric lights and telephones.

First Saturday as the World Turns

The 2014 election

By Ed Rogers

[This is the first of Ed Rogers's new monthly column.]

It would seem that for all practical purposes the “Tea Party” has shot itself in the foot—both feet to be correct. However, many things need to happen before you will be able to call the beast dead.

Ask Wednesday: Jill Auditori on serving in her community's local government

Local government matters

Edited by Morris Dean

Jill Auditori is a member of the City Council of Mebane, North Carolina. She is one of the most helpful people we have encountered in government, and we've enjoyed conversing with her. We are grateful that she made time to be interviewed on Moristotle & Co. [Our questions are set in italics.]

Jill, what was it about you or your background that led to your running for City Council?
    After I opened my business in downtown Mebane 13 years ago, I was drawn by a strong desire to become involved in our community, and ultimately, in local politics. I attended city council meetings regularly for many years—it is a great way to stay on top of local issues and discussions—and ultimately decided that I wanted to play a greater role in the decisions being made and the direction our town was taking.

Ask Wednesday: Jonathan Price on the presidential election

Jonathan Price, a retired college Professor of English, has been a lifelong Democrat who does not claim any particular political expertise.
    But he does understand the legend that Stendhal postponed his death to find out the results of a French election. Elections are exciting.
    He has also been a friend of our editor in chief for 49 years. [Our questions are in italics.]

What difference does it make who wins the election?

Oscar Wilde (1850-1900) still timely

The quotation below, found at Notable Quotes and represented as coming from Oscar Wilde's The Critic as Artist, certainly sounds like something Oscar Wilde might have said. Wilde could be speaking about much of what passes for journalism today, the practice of quoting "opposing sides" without objective analysis, the practice of reporting both politics and government as though they were varieties of sport, the more aggressive and emotional the blocks and jabs and feints and punts the more exciting the reportage.

There is much to be said in favour of modern journalism. By giving us the opinions of the uneducated, journalism keeps us in touch with the ignorance of the community.