Sheila Kennedy | A jaundiced look at the world we live in.

August 24, 2026In a recent Substack, Paul Krugman reminded readers that the rise of the oligarchy is closely related to tax policy. He began by referring to his recent explanations of the effects of the huge shift in taxation that has occured over the past several decades–a shift away from taxing capital and towards taxing

August 23, 2026Among the (many) aspects of our political discourse that I find depressing, the substitution of insults and labels for actual analysis ranks high. Perhaps the most dishonest is the equation of Right and Left “extremism.” Recently, Talking Points Memo addressed that dishonesty with a column detailing just what is labeled “extreme” on both sides

August 22, 2026 A rising chorus of critics–academics, politicians and media figures–have compared ICE to Hitler’s Brownshirts, the Stormtroopers who were an early paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party. Those comparisons have rested primarily upon five elements: concealed identities, intimidating street “theater” meant to be witnessed, “disappearance” tactics, confusion of law enfo...

August 21, 2026On September 19th, I will participate in a program sponsored by the Fort Wayne chapter of Citizens United for Separation of Church and State. The headliner will be Randall Balmer, America’s most eminent religious historian, so I am honored to be included. The upcoming program is especially timely in Red Indiana, where citizens

August 20, 2026I have frequently accused the current administration of blatant corruption–and with good reason. But for sheer chutzpah (look it up), Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito really can’t be outdone.  Just in the past few days, we’ve had reports of the millions of dollars he has garnered from the oil and gas interests that