With President Trump’s choice of Bolton as National Security Adviser and Pompeo for State, our country has reached a more dangerous place than ever, especially in the light of new U.S. air strikes on Syria. A wide range of Americans, even Republicans, have been appalled by the choice of Bolton, an open supporter of preemptive […]
Category: Peace
The “One Big Family” Frame in 2015
As everyone knows, the most fundamental crisis in America today is the fierce partisan divide we have in government. This situation makes collaboration or cooperation in solving the nation’s problems across party lines appear impossible everywhere. Appear? Certainly in national and state politics it’s real. But what about at the grass roots level? In 2014 The Pew […]
National Security: Going “Up” or “Down”?
In his January State of the Union message, President Obama said two noteworthy things: the first was “America must move off a permanent war footing.” Of course this remark was preceded and followed by a lot of predictable stuff about keeping America strong by military means. But the President did preface the bold remark I’ve […]
Re Syria: Say “We Can Do Better than Bombs!”
Right now our country and the world are in an uproar over President Obama’s plan to bomb Syria. Whatever his real, behind the scenes reasons may be, we the people must deal with the issue in the way it is being framed for the public. Because Congress decides next week whether or not to authorize […]
Guns, Nukes, Dollars, and the One Big Family Frame
Say: Cut Military ‘Corporations’ Instead
Right now all eyes are on the “fiscal cliff” debate. So far, the focus seems limited to domestic spending cuts and taxes. Many Americans feel that military spending ought to be cut instead. Unfortunately, the way we shape our demand for that shift often fails to be heard. Why? There are many reasons for our […]
Re Iran: Say ‘Think Outside the Box!’
Despite some positive recent reports, the struggle with Iran could still spin out of control. That could destroy every bit of progressive gain we in the U.S. made this year, to say nothing of other, even more horrible outcomes. Even if signs from all parties, the Iranians, the U.S., the Israelis, and others, strongly suggest […]
Framing the Right’s Nuclear Gamble
I recently received a handwritten, signed, gold-embossed, heavy cream note card from my congressional representative, after I had sent him a preprinted postcard urging support for reducing nuclear weapons. He suggested I write to Senator Kyl, the Republican Whip, since Kyl is the one promoting more delay in ratifying the new START Treaty. Of course, […]
Framing Afghanistan as a Snare, Trap or a Trick
Dear Metaphor Project Network, Below is a short piece I published yesterday on The Daily Kos. Some of the comments immediately made on it are very much worth reading too—a direct quote from Osama Bin Laden found in a U.S. Government translation of his videotaped speech, published by the Washington Post on November 1, 2004 […]
Framing Obama’s Biggest AfPak Mistake
Last week resistant House members reported heavy presidential lobbying in favor of the war supplemental funding bill, of which only 10% is allocated to diplomacy and development aid. This comes after the President has repeatedly said his administration would favor diplomacy and development over military options. It flies in the face of statements by a […]