Arthur Lieber's Political Blog
Progressive thoughts and strategies for the future
For some time, we have been examining why Republicans look at things so differently from Democrats. Much has been written about the Republican brain including a book by that title by journalist and author Chris Mooney. Mooney has been described as “one of the few journalists in the country who specializes in the now dangerous … Read moreWhy journalists engage in so many false equivalencies
You may have heard of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs. He cites five levels of growth, beginning with what a newborn infant needs and moving on to self-actualization, which is the top level of the pyramid. Maslow describes self-actualization this way: This level of need refers to what a person’s full potential is and … Read moreMaslow’s hierarchy of needs vs. the Republican pyramid of political values
The lack of a comprehensive, government-provided safety net in America means that non-profits have to resort to bragging and begging to provide many basic services. The political season crystallizes this issue better than anything, but in a society with as much capitalism as America, it’s apparent almost everywhere. You might think that bragging and begging … Read moreAmerica’s “Brag-osphere” and “Beg-osphere”
The first question that Anderson Cooper asked Bernie Sanders was, “A Gallup poll says half the country would not put a socialist in the White House. You call yourself a democratic socialist. How can any kind of socialist win a general election in the United States?” Sanders responded in part by saying, “Democrats at the … Read moreMedia does for Bernie Sanders what it never did for Dennis Kucinich
Some people posit that the Republican brain and the Democratic brain complement one another, somewhat like yin and yang. The theory would be that liberal people bring to a society a full measure of empathy, reason, and fairness. Conservatives bring order, structure, and rules. Together there is a harmonious and smooth functioning society. I’m a … Read moreAre Republican and Democratic brains like Yin and Yang?
A great tradition of American business is to create demand when consumers are really not asking for anything. Nowhere is this more evident than in the way professional sports franchises work to expand their profits. The National Hockey League is probably less guilty of excess than the National Football League, Major League Baseball or the … Read moreThe sports-stadium blackmail game, and how to stop it
Republicans could learn a lot from just-deceased baseball legend Yogi Berra, like “when you come to a fork in the road, take it.” They seem to find most forks in the road befuddling and reason for impasse, rather than making clear decisions. But a few weeks prior to the demise of Berra, another quotable ballplayer–former … Read moreWhat Republicans could learn from a dead baseball player
Many people think that the Stephen Colbert interview with Vice-President Joe Biden on Thursday, September 10 was seminal TV. Both had suffered tragic losses in their families and have done a remarkable job of picking up the pieces and moving on, while not forgetting how important the relatives whom they lost were to them. In … Read moreJoe Biden talks about courage and empathy: a unique combination
You can tell a lot about a society by what its citizens compliment themselves about. You might also learn a great deal about a society’s insecurities by what citizens say to make themselves feel good. The United States is perhaps the most charitable nation in the world. According to the 2014 World Giving Index, the … Read moreAmericans are too charitable
We have learned a great deal about our former presidents from what they have done upon retirement. Democrats Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton have committed themselves to addressing global issues and have used their presidential libraries as a valuable resource for the valuable work of their foundations. The libraries offer excellent learning experiences for the … Read moreObama’s presidential library: Excessively expensive