Recently in Political Philosophy Category

What is best for our nation? What is best for our society? What is best for our planet?

In a complex world, there is no one simple answer to such questions. World views can help us shape how we approach solving the world's problems, but those views can also blind us to solutions that others may offer.

While the tone of the Democratic Convention's opening night was pretty predictable, there were some surprises. Ted Kennedy's capacity to deliver a rousing address on the heels of his brain surgery, and the rhetorical gifts of Obama's wife, family, and in-laws were displayed. Former Republican Congressman Jim Leach provided a lesson in history and civics.

Politico's John Bresnahan writes of the House Judiciary Committee's hearing on executive power overreach by the Bush administration taking place today. But, Bresnahan characterizes this hearing as "Democrats bash Bush over abuse of executive power". Bresnahan apparently misses the fundamental import of this hearing: democracy and its preservation. This hearing is vastly more important to America than its inherent partisan politics; and quotes of the hearing's participants provided by Bresnahan allude to this.

President Bush's main reason for not promoting the development of clean energy - wind, solar and other non-carbon fuels - is that it may be a burden on business. He and many economists have been telling us that all-out investment in CO2-free fuels would place a burden on our economy. We should, they say, concentrate on oil and coal, at least for now.