Gene Edward Veith Jr.'s Blog, page 427
February 22, 2013
The Academy Awards
In light of the above post, we should take the opportunity to discuss the Academy Awards that will be given out Sunday night. As someone who goes to the movies far more than the 3 times per year that is considered a large number, I actually think that this year has a stronger field than [...]
Democrats and Republicans reverse roles
Have you noticed that it’s now the Democrats who are trying to wage a culture war? Meanwhile, all Republicans want to talk about today is economics, which was always the interest of the New Deal Democrats. From Greg Forster: The Democrats are becoming the party of culture war, a transition confirmed by the decreasing power [...]
Ethiopian Lutherans sever fellowship with ELCA
It’s not just Missouri Synod Lutherans! Russell Saltzman reports: The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (Place of Jesus) has severed all ties with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), according to an ELCA press release. The Mekane Yesus action came during their general convocation meeting in Addis Ababa January 27-February 2, ratifying a July [...]
February 21, 2013
Projecting Christianity onto other religions
David Forsmark makes a point made by our own loyal reader, author, and Nordic expert Lars Walker, speaking of the Norse deities: Americans have a naïve view of religion. The religious freedom that is so ingrained in our tradition — and our Constitution — has morphed beyond tolerance to a sort of anthropomorphic acceptance of [...]
Non-conservatives behind anti-immigration issue?
Republicans are in an uproar over accusations that the think tanks behind their recent anti-immigration policies are not conservative at all; rather, they have their origin in the population control movement, with its advocacy of abortion and anti-human environmentalism. From the Washington Post by Peter Wallsten: Much of the [Republican] party’s sharp language on immigration [...]
From risk-taking to risk-averse
Economics columnist Robert J. Samuelson says that the reason economic recovery is so slow in coming and the unemployment rate so high is a shift in the national psychology: We have gone from being an expansive, risk-taking society to a skittish, risk-averse one. Before the 2008-09 financial crisis, the bias was toward more spending. The [...]
February 20, 2013
Insurance “rate shock” under Obamacare
The cost of health insurance will go up dramatically under Obamacare, people are starting to realize. This will be true especially for the young healthy types that aren’t buying insurance now but will soon have to; that is to say, the currently uninsured, the ones Obamacare is supposed to help! What a surprise! Who knew? [...]
Unchecked righteousness
Charles Lane of the Washington Post comments on the electric car fiasco, discussing the multiple failures of government investments and the disappointing performance and sales of the vehicles. The occasion is the disastrous roadtrip in a Tesla described by John M. Broder in the New York Times. What interests me is not electric cars but [...]
Pastoral beards
Pastors these days like to wear beards. So says Leadership Journal, published by Christianity Today, whose blog shows the various styles preferred by various kinds of pastors. I reproduce them here, adding also a distinctly Lutheran kind of beard. From Out of Ur: The Beards of Ministry: What I like is the beard [...]
February 19, 2013
The State of the Union & Mardi Gras
OK, this is rather belated, but still. . . .The quite liberal Dana Milbank takes the prize for best comments on the State of the Union Address: There is something entirely appropriate about holding the State of the Union address on the same day as Mardi Gras. One is a display of wretched excess, when [...]
