Close study of major changes in official American policies and attitudes reveals a principle that has been informally given the name of “Nixon-Goes-to-China” — a reference to President Richard Nixon’s historic 1971 diplomatic opening to a country that U.S. officialdom had always withheld recognition from. During Nixon’s early prominence, he was a scourge of […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said (February 19, 2015) …
Greg Cravens About Bianca Phillips’ “Hotties” story … Man, I tried every trendy thing I could think of to make this year’s Hotties list. Liposuction. A personal trainer. L.L. Bean duck boots. I hung around the Ashley Madison website. Leased a Prius. Reactivated my old StarTAC. No call from the Flyer. And when I was […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
Tennessee’s Senatorial “Moderates”
We have had our differences with Tennessee’s junior U.S. Senator, Bob Corker — particularly over his repeated interventions against the United Auto Workers during the UAW’s campaign last year to represent workers at the Chattanooga Volkswagen plant. We understood that Corker had been instrumental in attracting the plant to his hometown and that, like numerous […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said (February 12, 2015) …
Greg Cravens About Jackson Baker’s post, “Haslam’s Medicaid Expansion Bill “Hanging by a Thread” … Kelsey is a fool, a traitor, and a moron! The trifecta, as it were. Tennessee Waltzer The majority of people opposed to Insure Tennessee are the Tea Partiers in our legislature. Most Tennesseeans favor the program. And Brian Kelsey should […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
Leading From the Top
So far in 2015, we have been sufficiently dosed with annual “State of …” speeches delivered by the heads of government of most direct importance to us — the governor of Tennessee and the mayors of Memphis and Shelby County. And we have heard both preamble and follow-up speeches from all three officials. Though, as […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
Haslam’s “Good Faith” Issue
As chronicled elsewhere, Governor Bill Haslam began this week of legislative special session in Nashville with the challenge of persuading reluctant members of his Republican Party to suspend their aversion to what they call Obamacare and accept his home-grown version of Medicaid expansion called Insure Tennessee. Prior discussions of the matter in the media have […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said (February 5, 2015) …
Greg Cravens About Richard Alley’s cover story, “20<30” … I laughed to myself when I picked up your latest issue and read the cover — on the eve of my 36th birthday and marveling at its “pushing 40” feel — my first thought was only a sardonic “guess none of my old friends will be […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said (January 29, 2015) …
Greg Cravens About Toby Sells’ post, “Bass Pro Jobs Fair Coming in February” … Y’all might as well not even apply for the gator wrastlin’ job, cause I got it locked up. Jeff After reading the review by Chris Davis of Opera Memphis’ production of Hansel and Gretel, I was confused. I thought that I […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
The Invisible Hand
A once little-noticed phenomenon in public and governmental affairs is getting more and more attention these days, by no means all of it favorable. Call it “political out-sourcing,” an equivalent to the long-accustomed practice whereby governments — as in the case of prison management, say — turn over the operation of a traditional public enterprise […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said (January 22, 2015) …
Greg Cravens About Chris Davis’ post, “A Closer Look at the Satanic School Bus” … I question how long the devil would last inside a junior high school bus. CL Mullins More and more, WMC’s news lately consists of junk stories like this one and news “ripped-from-the-Twitter.” One wonders what kind of audience they’re trying […]
Posted inEditorial, Opinion
Selma
As a dramatic rendering of history, the movie Selma trumps almost any artwork we can remember. It stirs the imagination, expands the spirit, and breaks — but finally resurrects — the heart, as we are presented a compelling vision of a just mission that, finally, rose triumphant out of tragedy and did indeed overcome. It is impossible […]
Posted inLetters To The Editor, Opinion
What They Said (January 15, 2015) …
About Bianca Phillips’ story, “New Bill Would Get Wine in Grocery Stores by Summer” … Liquor stores are wonderful places. When I walk into Joe’s or Kimbrough’s it’s the same feeling I used to get at Happy Hal’s Toy Town. The availability of booze at Save-Mart or wherever will weed out the schlubs from these […]