The Revolt of the Anxious Class - Robert Reich

Found here. Reproduced here for fair use and discussion purposes. My comments in bold.
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I really dislike the writing style with one or two sentences per paragraph. It's very common in AP news stories, as if the average reader can't be counted on to have a sufficient attention span to read an entire paragraph.
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Christians, Muslims, and the reference of “God” - Edward Feser

Originally found here. Quite interesting presentation, although I don't necessarily agree with where he draws his lines.
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The question of whether Christians and Muslims worship the same God has become the topic du jour in certain parts of the blogosphere. Our friends Frank Beckwith, Bill Vallicella, Lydia McGrew, Fr. Al Kimel, and Dale Tuggy are among those who have commented. (Dale has also posted a useful roundup of articles on the controversy.) Frank, Fr. Kimel, and Dale are among the many commentators who have answered in the affirmative. Lydia answers in the negative. While not firmly answering in the negative, Bill argues that the question isn’t as easy to settle as the yea-sayers suppose, as does Peter Leithart at First Things. However, with one qualification, I would say that the yea-sayers are right.

Referring to God

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is worse than Bernie Sanders

Found here. Reproduced here for fair use and discussion purposes. My comments in bold.

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I have followed this fellow's blog for some time, waiting for something of substance to be posted. He's a self described liberal reverend, and routinely mocks Christians who actually believe the Bible. 

So he finally posted something that sounds like he actually put a bit of thought into it.
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In The River - Jesus Culture - FB conversation

I posted this:

This is a worship song? Ugh.

Verse 1
There is a river where goodness flows
There is a fountain that drowns sorrows
There is an ocean deeper than fear
The tide is rising, rising

Verse 2
There is a current stirring deep inside
It’s overflowing from the heart of God
The flood of heaven crashing over us
The tide is rising, rising
Bursting, bursting Up from the ground we feel it now
Bursting, bursting Up from the ground we feel it now

Chorus
We come alive in the river
We come alive in the river
We come alive in the river
We come alive in the river

Bridge
Break open prison doors
Set all the captives free
Spring up a well, spring up a well
Spring up the well in me
Nothing can stop this joy
We’re dancing in the streets
Spring up a well, spring up a well
Spring up the well in me

SL: Jesus Culture has MANY problems

Me:  I like a lot of their songs, usually they have some depth and doctrinal clarity. Not this one.

FS: I don't see what the problem is …
Vague, vapid lyrics that repeat and repeat, nothing that extols God directly, in fact a song that is a lot more about us than Him …
it has all the ingredients of most modern "worship" sings.

SL:  yep Frank way to worldly for me

BH: I would advise caution when judging someone else's expression of worship!

Me:  I will judge this expression of worship, because it is a poor expression of worship.

HOW TO DEAL WITH YOUR UNCLE BOB - by Robert Reich

Found here. Reproduced here for fair use and discussion purposes. My comments in bold.

It's interesting that the Left views the holiday season as a time for advancing their political talking points, and doing it by shutting down opposition. Leftist websites are replete with scripted talking points designed to end the conversation.

These Students Are Leading a Movement for Free College in the United States - BY REBECCA NATHANSON

This post originally appeared at In These Times. Reproduced here for fair use and discussion purposes. My comments in bold.
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Blanket religious conclusions miss the point - By Bruce Gourley, PhD

Reproduced here for fair use and discussion purposes. My comments in bold.
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Here we have another leftist informing us as to the proper way to believe, coupled with an attempt at moral equivalence.

First is Daniel Klusmann's letter.
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Obama created 12 million jobs, brought the stock market to record highs, got Bin Laden...

One of those Occupy memes that so typically has trouble with the facts.

12 million jobs: Actually, between January of 2009 and September of 2015 the number is 8,414,000 jobs, none of which were created by President Obama, because presidents don't create jobs, businesses do.

And by the way, the labor force participation rate in January of 2009 was 65.7%, while in September of 2015 it was 62.4%. In other words, although the number of jobs increased, the number of people not employed increased more. People are dropping out of the labor force because they can't find work.

And it is worth noting that some have asserted that most of those jobs went to non-Americans.

Stock market to record highs: A great thing for the fatcats on Wall Street I'm sure, but the middle class is not flush with a stock portfolio and corporate perks. Oh, and by the way, presidents don't increase the stock market, businesses do.

Got Bin Laden: I believe that was Seal Team 6, not Obama.

Got 17 million health insurance: I believe that was insurance companies, not Obama. And by the way, how is it that only 17 million of the 50 million uninsured got insured? With Obamacare being mandatory and all?

Saved the American Auto Industry: Both Chrysler and Chevrolet filed for bankruptcy AFTER receiving their bailouts. Ford, which did not take a bailout, did not file for bankruptcy.

What to Do About Disloyal Corporations - by Robert Reich

Found here. Reproduced here for fair use and discussion purposes. My comments in bold.
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I find myself commenting on Dr. Reich's missives rather frequently, mostly because he is billed as an intellectual, yet his thinking and presentation lacks nuance and thoughtful consideration.
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GOP Nutcase Louie Gohmert Just Perfectly Displayed The Insanity Driving Today’s Republican Party - By Allen Clifton

Found here (Link disabled due to possible virus). My comments in bold.
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The author asserts that Republicans are insane and Rep. Gohmert is a nutcase. Just to be clear, Gohmert and the Republicans aren't mistaken. They aren't factually incorrect. They aren't deceived or deceivers. No, they are insane. Crazy. Flat-out nuts. Ridiculous. Radical. Delusions. Cartoonish. Depravity. Nonsense. Paranoid. These are all words offered by the author.

This over-the-top hyperbole is more and more common on the Left, where their opponents are always clowns, Hitlers, and/or certifiably crazy. This has a handy effect in that one does not have to offer a refutation or rebuttal. All one has to do is label and dismiss. 

This is exactly what happens below. As you read, you will note that there isn't a single fact, statistic, argument, logical construct, or systematic examination of the issue. Nothing but "label and dismiss."
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The Second Amendment Was Never Meant to Protect an Individual’s Right to a Gun - by Dorothy Samuels

This post originally appeared at The Nation. Reproduced here for fair use and discussion purposes. My comments in bold.
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Much like when they try to tell you about Christianity, the Left seldom gets it right when it comes to the Constitution.
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Bernie Sanders’s Odd Case Against Socialism - By Robert Tracinski

Found here. Reproduced here for fair use and discussion purposes. A very good analysis.

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WHY THE SHARING ECONOMY IS HARMING WORKERS – AND WHAT MUST BE DONE - by Robert Reich

Found here. Reproduced here for fair use and discussion purposes. My comments in bold.
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In this holiday season it’s especially appropriate to acknowledge how many Americans don’t have steady work.

The so-called “share economy” includes independent contractors, temporary workers, the self-employed, part-timers, freelancers, and free agents. Most file 1099s rather than W2s, for tax purposes. (This "sharing economy" he dismissively puts in scare quotes is a creative way for people to exchange value, including bartering, co-ops, communal living, and various other independent ways of satisfying peoples' needs. So, a person who isn't interested in a 9-5 job, or who has a skill or service they want to market, or who has a product they think people will want, will embrace the "sharing economy" as a means to operate outside of the typical storefront, corporate economy.)

8 Ways to Deal With Your Conservative Relatives' Fox News Talking Points - By Kali Holloway,

Found here. Reproduced here for fair use and discussion purposes. My comments in bold.
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