Tag Archives: democracy

Shutdown Resolution: Debacle, Destiny, Deliverance?

Posted on November 10, 2025 by gdkrenz

Like many of us, I suspect, I am still reeling from the Democrats’ whiplash reversal on the shutdown, thanks to 8 Dems going rogue and siding with Republicans to fund the continuing resolution. The Rogue 8 were able to gain … Continue reading →

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Ruth Ben-Ghiat: “Never underestimate the American people”

Posted on November 6, 2025 by gdkrenz

This evening Barb and I attended the University of Michigan’s annual Davis, Markert, Nickerson Lecture on Academic and Intellectual Freedom. This is, as far as I know, the nation’s longest running lecture (35 years) dedicated to academic and intellectual freedom … Continue reading →

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Tonight, Americans’ democratic values spoke loud and clear

Posted on November 5, 2025 by gdkrenz

Tonight’s exhilarating election results were a large-D Democratic sweep that was also a small-d democratic victory. Democrats won the governorships of Virginia and New Jersey and the mayorship of New York City by getting out and connecting with the people … Continue reading →

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No Excuses for Greed and Selfishness

Posted on November 4, 2025 by barbkrenz

On Morning Joe today, they were talking about news companies appeasing Trump.  As Mike Barnacle put it, “the blanket of fear” that President Trump has spread over everything, including the media, “is the largest story of our times.” Then Joe … Continue reading →

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No, Spkr Johnson: “No Kings” IS “Love America”

Posted on October 13, 2025 by gdkrenz

We Americans love to label things, no doubt. And labeling things can be important in politics. Labels can give us a shorthand, and they can serve as rallying cries. At this point, we can’t for instance any longer avoid calling … Continue reading →

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Higher ed solidarity, please!

Posted on October 8, 2025 by gdkrenz

Last week, the Trump administration sent to nine universities A Compact for Excellence in Higher Education, the idea being that institutions that sign on to the compact would receive “preferential access to federal funds.” This is the latest effort by … Continue reading →

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Whispering in the Storm

Posted on October 3, 2025 by gdkrenz

The daily nightmares continue. There are reasons for hope – more on that another time. But there continue to be reasons to fear, perhaps most significant among them is that the more Trump feels cornered, the more desperate his actions … Continue reading →

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Two crises

Posted on September 25, 2025 by Daniel Little

I’ve been thinking about our discussion last night, which was a very good one. One thing that became more clear for me is that we face two existential crises in the United States, not just one. Most visibly, we witness … Continue reading →

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Free Speech Under Assault

Posted on September 19, 2025 by gdkrenz

The Trump Administration is engaged in a concerted campaign against Americans’ First Amendment free speech rights. Free speech is a core democratic value, directly related to human dignity, to human progress, and to the full exercise of citizenship. It is … Continue reading →

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“Cry ‘Havoc!’, and let slip the dogs of war”

Posted on September 12, 2025 by gdkrenz

I’ve been trying to think about what to say about Charlie Kirk’s murder. The internet is overflowing with reaction and commentary, some of it good, much of it not. As I try to digest the murder itself and its larger … Continue reading →

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