http://harrisonlives.com Railing Against the Setting Sun Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:34:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 en hourly 1 http://harrisonlives.com/2010/01/25/what-now-mr-president-politics-today/ http://harrisonlives.com/2010/01/25/what-now-mr-president-politics-today/#comments Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:53:39 +0000 Harrison http://harrisonlives.com/?p=359 There’s nothing wrong with running for public office because you want to win.  Winning is good. There’s nothing wrong with running for public office in order to become the first African-American person elected as President of the United States.  This is also good. As political and social statement, winning and being the first to win, are both [...]]]> http://harrisonlives.com/2010/01/25/what-now-mr-president-politics-today/feed/ 0 http://harrisonlives.com/2009/10/29/for-what-purpose-to-what-end-war-politics-today/ http://harrisonlives.com/2009/10/29/for-what-purpose-to-what-end-war-politics-today/#comments Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:43:10 +0000 Harrison http://harrisonlives.com/?p=292 For all of the talk about needing and wanting to send more troops to Afghanistan, at least in public by those who hold decision-making responsibility, there is very little frank and honest disclosure. Many government officials just outside that circle of responsibility, and many political commentators, talk of thwarting the Taliban in order to [...]]]> http://harrisonlives.com/2009/10/29/for-what-purpose-to-what-end-war-politics-today/feed/ 0 http://harrisonlives.com/2009/10/16/plenty-of-disappointment-to-go-around-presidential-politics-today/ http://harrisonlives.com/2009/10/16/plenty-of-disappointment-to-go-around-presidential-politics-today/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:53:25 +0000 Harrison http://harrisonlives.com/?p=280 My memories of politics go all the way back to the Eisenhower administration, the classroom’s daily salute to the flag and the hoisting of a glass of milk to the President at lunch time.  I also heard President Kennedy speak and saw him in person as a kid, and I was convinced he was speaking [...]]]> http://harrisonlives.com/2009/10/16/plenty-of-disappointment-to-go-around-presidential-politics-today/feed/ 0 http://harrisonlives.com/2009/07/27/petty-and-petulant-to-the-end-palin-politics-today/ http://harrisonlives.com/2009/07/27/petty-and-petulant-to-the-end-palin-politics-today/#comments Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:52:15 +0000 Harrison http://harrisonlives.com/?p=174 There are opportunities presented to everyone in public life at one point or another to make a difference – - to enlighten, to focus attention on meaningful things, to engage in important public discussions.  An eager audience waiting on every word, hoping for elucidation, looking for a leader. Such was the opportunity presented to former Alaska [...]]]> http://harrisonlives.com/2009/07/27/petty-and-petulant-to-the-end-palin-politics-today/feed/ 1 http://harrisonlives.com/2009/06/22/sometimes-silence-is-wisdom-politics-today/ http://harrisonlives.com/2009/06/22/sometimes-silence-is-wisdom-politics-today/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:29:13 +0000 Harrison http://harrisonlives.com/?p=168 The events unfolding in Iran have been so fascinating, encouraging and saddening to watch over this past week.  The way in which technology has played a part in the process has been equally fascinating.  The way in which some in the US government have behaved, however, have been and is very angering and disappointing. Today is [...]]]> http://harrisonlives.com/2009/06/22/sometimes-silence-is-wisdom-politics-today/feed/ 0 http://harrisonlives.com/2009/06/18/polls-pols-and-reassurance-politics-today/ http://harrisonlives.com/2009/06/18/polls-pols-and-reassurance-politics-today/#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:08:04 +0000 Harrison http://harrisonlives.com/?p=167 The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll results suggest a finer resolution setting on politics and the economy than has been the case since last fall.  There’s more than a general fear of current economic conditions, as the focus of fear adjusts to specific bogie men, to wit:  the federal deficit. The numbers do show serious reservations [...]]]> http://harrisonlives.com/2009/06/18/polls-pols-and-reassurance-politics-today/feed/ 0 http://harrisonlives.com/2009/06/15/the-politics-of-palin-part-3/ http://harrisonlives.com/2009/06/15/the-politics-of-palin-part-3/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:43:37 +0000 Harrison http://harrisonlives.com/?p=166 On November 7 of last year, the following unsolicited advice appeared on these pages: ” . . . Alaska can also provide her with a little cover, a safe harbor while she weathers the storm she wrought on the McCain campaign and its aftermath.  She can use that cover to brush up on her geography and [...]]]> http://harrisonlives.com/2009/06/15/the-politics-of-palin-part-3/feed/ 0 http://harrisonlives.com/2009/05/26/a-presidential-nomination-and-sun-tzus-advice-politics-today/ http://harrisonlives.com/2009/05/26/a-presidential-nomination-and-sun-tzus-advice-politics-today/#comments Tue, 26 May 2009 17:42:36 +0000 Harrison http://harrisonlives.com/?p=161 “Measure in terms of five things, use these assessments to make comparisons, and thus find out what the conditions are.  The five things are the Way, the weather, the terrain, the leadership, and discipline.” The Art of War Sun Tzu According to the comments of Du Mu and others in The Art of War, The Way means humaneness [...]]]> http://harrisonlives.com/2009/05/26/a-presidential-nomination-and-sun-tzus-advice-politics-today/feed/ 1 http://harrisonlives.com/2009/05/22/cheney-the-busker-needs-to-go-politics-today/ http://harrisonlives.com/2009/05/22/cheney-the-busker-needs-to-go-politics-today/#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 10:55:47 +0000 Harrison http://harrisonlives.com/?p=160 Two speeches, thirty minutes apart, just a few miles down the road from each other, on the same subject, reaching two very different conclusions.  A House Speaker in a pickle over accusations that the CIA has been less than candid.  Republicans and Democrats alike subsequently citing instances of CIA grievances of the past.  And six [...]]]> http://harrisonlives.com/2009/05/22/cheney-the-busker-needs-to-go-politics-today/feed/ 0 http://harrisonlives.com/2009/05/18/whigs-white-heads-and-the-white-house-politics-today/ http://harrisonlives.com/2009/05/18/whigs-white-heads-and-the-white-house-politics-today/#comments Mon, 18 May 2009 17:30:39 +0000 Harrison http://harrisonlives.com/?p=158 How many of you remember from your high school history class the discussion of the Whig political party from the 1830s-1850s?  How many of you can name a Whig elected to national political office?  Show of hands, how many can name a former United States president whose early political years were spent as a member [...]]]> http://harrisonlives.com/2009/05/18/whigs-white-heads-and-the-white-house-politics-today/feed/ 1