If you want war, nourish a doctrine. Doctrines are the most frightful tyrants to which men ever are subject, because doctrines get inside a man’s reason and betray him against himself. Civilized men have done their fiercest fighting for doctrines.
— William Graham Sumner (1840-1910), American economist, sociologist

This is an open letter to all the Democratic leaders of California, starting with senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, as well as the rest of the political establishment:
You foisted Phil Angelides on us with your endorsements of him over Steve Westly, the candidate who was obviously better suited […]

As other western countries line up to fund or not fund stem cell research, Dr. Stephen Hawking offers some words of sanity.
[Stem cell research] is morally equivalent to taking a heart transplant from a victim of a car accident.
Stephen Hawking, the world’s best-known living scientist, has attacked “reactionary” forces in Europe and America who […]

Time Magazine:
The Bush Administration’s message went through a dramatic evolution over the weekend. Last Friday, describing her upcoming mission to the Middle East, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said dismissively, “I can guarantee you, if you simply look for a ceasefire that acknowledges and freezes the status quo ante, we will be back here in […]

Numbskull nation: A new Harris poll disproves the theory of evolution — we are not progressing as a species toward some perfect form of homo sapien. Instead, we are devolving into hulking lunks without the ability to discern between truth and obvious Republican spinmeistery. How else explain today’s PollTrack from National Journal?
Despite conclusive reports that […]

Cruel persecutions and intolerance are not accidents, but grow out of the very essence of religion, namely, its absolute claims.
— Morris R. Cohen (1880-1947), American professor of philosophy

White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten made his first appearance on Meet the Press yesterday. As ever, Tim Russert’s questions weren’t particularly tough or hard-hitting, it’s just that the positions he’s hired to defend are so illogical.
Here’s a review from Russert Watch on the Huffington Post:
Bolten’s debut on Meet the Press was a disaster. […]

From Fox News, so you know it’s true:
“Russia’s a big country and you’re a big country,”– Pres. Bush to Chinese Leader
Bush expresses amazement that it will take some leaders as many as eight hours to fly home — about the same time it will take Air Force One with Bush aboard to return to Washington.
“You […]

“There will be no legacy for Mr. Bush,”– William F. Buckley
William F. Buckley was the face of East Coast establishment conservativism back in the day. Now Buckley, who founded the National Review in 1955, is suggesting that Pres. Bush should resign:
“If you had a European prime minister who experienced what we’ve experienced it would be […]