The Useless Tree

Politics

  • Embarrassed for Democracy

    I am one of those people who believe that, even with its obvious shortcomings, democracy (and by that I mean political contestation and inclusion), is generally the best means for securing political justice.  Democracy, in other words, is good.  It… Continue reading

  • John McCain is a Little Person

    As the McCain campaign descends further and further into ugly sleaze and erratic posturing, two passages from the Analects remind us that he is, indeed, a small person. The Master said: "The noble-minded are calm and steady.  Little people are… Continue reading

  • What Does Palin Mean by “Corruption on Wall Street”?

    In the Vice-Presidential debate last night, Sarah Palin railed against "corruption on Wall Street."  She referred to this notion at least five times, by my count.  But the more I think about it, the less it makes sense (which is… Continue reading

  • Taoist Debate Advice for Sarah Palin

       I have no sympathy for Sarah Palin.  She is obviously not prepared or qualified to be vice president, much less assume the presidency in a crisis. That is obvious. She did not have to accept the candidacy but she… Continue reading

  • McCain’s Pathetic Campaign Gimmick

    Here's a line (hat tip Western Confucian) from Guardian blogger Oliver Burkeman that pretty much sums up my first impression of McCain's call to suspend his campaign and postpone tomorrow's debate: this is actually the most absurd, impetuous and nakedly… Continue reading

  • The China Milk Crisis

    I have been distracted of late by US politics and the economic crisis.  Thus, I have not commented on the milk contamination scandal in China.  Bottom line: Chinese diary producers, as many as 22 companies, have been adding a toxic… Continue reading

  • George Bush, Taoist President

    Three years ago I joked that George W. Bush is a Taoist sage.  Well, events of the past week or so suggest that he is a Taoist president.  In the face of the greatest economic crisis since at least World… Continue reading

  • After Kim

    News reports are circulating that Kim Jong-il, the supreme leader of North Korea, may have "suffered a serious health setback:" U.S. intelligence officials said today that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il may have suffered a serious health setback, amid… Continue reading

  • The Politics of Virtue Ethics

         Here's an idea: John McCain is running a virtue ethics political campaign.      Virtue ethics holds that "doing the right thing" is not determined by evaluating the consequences of specific actions or decisions (consequentialism), nor is it a matter… Continue reading

  • China? What’s That?

        A quick search of the four major convention speeches – those of Obama, Biden, McCain and Palin – reveals the following:     The word "China" was mentioned once in the Obama speech and once in the Biden speech; it… Continue reading