Peter Lawler

MY view on what a study shows is that neither party speaks for the people now. That might point to compromise on this debt ceiling thing—over which the president is cleverly disingenuous and the Republicans seem confused. But the deeper point is that the Republicans have a lot of work to do . . . . Continue Reading »

Jason’s post below puts me on the side of the primacy of CULTURE, and our friends from Claremont (THE WEST COAST STRAUSSIANS) on the side of the primacy of POLITICS. (I want to thank Jason and the gracious Mr. Kienker for their positive publicity.) I’m not sure I’m quite either. . . . . Continue Reading »

Here’s a comment from the thread below on my post on the last FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS. It’s somewhat pro-Porcher and supported by evidence. Additions and revisions are mostly parenthetical at this point, but inin a most postodern way I hope the revision process will be continuous. Not sure . . . . Continue Reading »

1. Yesterday was JOHN PRESNALL’s birthday! 2. And today I said more stuff about DEATH , always a popular subject. . . . . Continue Reading »

1. So welcome back JWC! Everything you say about the admirable uniqueness of the TEA PARTY movement is right. I just don’t know how popular it is, finally. The most prudent of Americans regard the necessary entitlement cuts—including inevitable big cuts in Social Security and . . . . Continue Reading »

1. Was all about the primacy of family—both natural families and those formed by necessity and circumstances. 2. Was very hard on Dillon—the small town, the place. The evil oligarchs who really run the town decided to consolidate the two football teams (of the two high schools) into one . . . . Continue Reading »

David Brooks has a very thoughtful column on the fact that a lot of soaring health care costs have to do using all means available to keep very sick people alive just a little bit longer. Following Daniel Callahan, Brooks notices that the progress toward indefinite longevity encouraged particularly . . . . Continue Reading »

Inspired by John below, here are some shows I like. If I had more time, I would add COMMUNITY and PARENTHOOD. I do finally talk about FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, suggesting that it’s both an affirmation of and criticism of PORCHERISM. . . . . Continue Reading »

. . . a downer by ME. . . . . Continue Reading »

Maybe the final stage of our rebuilding—or, really, with our young and talented philosophical cultural critics—being built better than ever—is a long, windbag, off-the wall, semi-philosophical post by ME. It’s not true that our individualistic (or Lockean) . . . . Continue Reading »