Archive
Why I’m Marching for Climate Action
I've long known how wasteful, destructive, and dangerous the process of extracting oil from tar sands is. You have to dig up four tons of dirt and rock to get one barrel of oil. Beautiful old-growth boreal forest becomes a wasteland. And that single barrel of oil? It...
Auditioning for the Electorate
Around Washington you can tell football season is upon us because Congress is lining up to punt its work until after the elections. Lawmakers have plenty to do over the next month, but little will — and even less incentive — to do it. Congress is grappling with the...
This Election Puts Women in the Driver’s Seat
Let's be clear. As the majority of the population, the majority of registered voters, and the majority of those who actually show up at the polls, women can determine the outcome of any election. In a year when abortion restrictions were piled on at the state level,...
What’s Ahead for Ferguson
The funeral is over. The protests have subsided. The lax and listless wheels of justice in Ferguson, Missouri are beginning to turn. A St. Louis County grand jury recently convened to consider whether to bring charges against police officer Darren Wilson for fatally...
Bombing at a Press Conference Beats Mindlessly Flexing Military Might
The latest conservative fad is beating up President Barack Obama for being too squeamish about exerting military force. The Republicans he defeated in 2008 and 2012 are prime examples. The government shouldn't "jettison our reliance on U.S. strength," lectured Mitt...
The Leaf Blower Divide
When new neighbors moved in next door, I didn't hold off long before broaching the Big Question. Even though we live in Washington, D.C., this had nothing to do with politics. For me, neighborly harmony hinges on where folks stand on this divide: leaf blower vs. rake....
Build It and Bikes Will Come
Did you see the baseball movie Field of Dreams? Even if you didn't, you've probably heard the phrase "If you build it, they will come" — which it immortalized. Well, how about "If you don't build it, they won't come"? When it comes to bicycles, cars, and public...
That Gosh Darn Minimum Wage
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wanted to share his long-repressed feelings about a traumatic event. "It was," the Kentucky Republican confided, grim-faced, "the worst day of my political life." Was he talking about the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America? No....
When All You’ve Got Is a Hammer
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up
Just in the United States, the cosmetics industry pulls in some $70 billion a year in sales of what's commonly called "makeup." But lipstick, mascara, eye shadow, and the like aren't the only kind of makeup the cosmetic giants are peddling. For years, their lobbyists,...
