Americans Revolt in Pennsylvania – New Battle Lines Are Drawn

The good citizens of Pennsylvania have done it again. Back in 1776, they hosted at Liberty Hall in Philadelphia a gathering of people radicalized by the predations of the East India Company. The world’s first multinational corporation then held a virtual stranglehold on commerce and politics in North America, and brazenly used British troops as [...]

Written on December 19, 2002 | Posted in Democracy/Politics | Comments Off| Read More »

The Railroad Barons Are Back – And This Time They’ll Finish the Job

The railroad barons first tried to infiltrate the halls of government in the early years after the Civil War. The efforts of these men, particularly Jay Gould, brought the Ulysses Grant administration into such disrepute, as a result of what were then called “the railroad bribery scandals,” that Grant’s own Republican party refused to renominate [...]

Written on December 11, 2002 | Posted in Democracy/Politics | Comments Off| Read More »

Talking Back To Talk Radio – Fairness, Democracy, and Profits

“All Democrats are fat, lazy, and stupid,” the talk-show host said in grave, serious tones as if he were uttering a sacred truth. We were driving to Michigan for the holidays, and I was tuning around, listening for the stations I’d worked for two and three decades ago. I turned the dial. “It’s a Hannity [...]

Written on December 3, 2002 | Posted in Democracy/Politics | Comments Off| Read More »