Small P and Large P Politics and the F Word

As with back-seat driving or Monday morning quarterbacking, there is a grand tradition in politics to second guess the primary actors and prognosticate on what they should have and should do. I am not immune to such pronouncement, as my significant other vociferously complains of when they are driving. So in preparation of the third Presidential debate on Wednesday, this is what I think Clinton should do: focus on children. It should be all about children. We got a preview of this focus during the second debate when Clinton was very clear about her commitment to and the years she has spent in public service as a lawyer, First Lady (FLOTUS), and a Senator. This was smart because it clearly demonstrated two things, 1) her experience in public service and public policy-making in contradistinction to Trump's lack thereof, and 2) highlights a particular brand of femininity, matronly maternalism. This second demonstration itself serves two purposes, 1) it points to a form of accep...

For my 2255E class, sorry for forgetting to formally announce the cancellation of the Oct. 14th class. This piece by Leslie Bennetts of the Guardian covers much of what we have discussed regarding the U.S. election over the past three weeks. Leslie Bennetts. “Enough is enough: the 2016 election is now a referendum on male entitlement” The Guardian, October 14, 2016 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/oct/14/donald-trump-male-entitlement-women-2016-election Lashing out at his accusers this afternoon, Donald Trump attacked all the women who say he has groped, kissed or inspected them naked without their consent. He called them “ horrible, horrible liars ” and vowed to sue the New York Times for reporting their accounts. Minutes before the Florida rally where Trump declared war on women and the media, Michelle Obama offered a diametrically opposite view of reality and morality at a campaign appearance in New Hampshire. Condemning Trump’s conduct as “intolerable”, she for...