Americans rarely unilaterally agree on anything, but there has risen one important break from that trend; we’re all convinced that the 2016 election is next level bonkers. All of us. Including, apparently, Mitt Romney. As of this post, Romney is posed to make a big speech at the University of Utah tomorrow morning, which has some eager politicos wondering if he’s making some sort of play as a late addition to the race, a wishful thought for anyone feeling hopeless... Read more
Editor’s note: This post is an updated version of an earlier post, which can be found here. All updates and corrections have been made in red, like this editor’s note. So is this it? Is this how The Republic ends? Not with a bang, but with 16 straight months of presidential debates? That’s right, 2016 is upon us, with the force of a thousand Facebook arguments and your uncle’s hatred for “career politicians.” We’re entering a period of great... Read more
I didn’t know Hugh Nibley personally, and I don’t fancy myself much of a Nibley scholar. But if there’s one thing I know about Nibley, it’s that he had some pretty strong thoughts on the “rhetoric of wealth.” This comes from page 48 in my copy of Approaching Zion: First, of course, the work ethic, which is being so strenuously advocated in our day. This is one of those neat magician’s tricks in which all our attention is focused on one... Read more
For the second time in as many weeks, a Utah legislator who identifies as an active, believing Mormon has expressed frustrations with the leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. State Sen. Steve Urquhart, a Republican who represents Utah’s 29th Senate district, is the chief sponsor of S.B. 107, a hate crimes amendment that would among other things specify the protected classes under current Utah hate crime law and strengthen punishments. Here’s a brief description of the amendment via... Read more
The Affordable Care Act (ACA or colloquially termed ‘Obamacare’) has now defied the odds within America—passing judicial review, congressional arguments, multiple failed Republican efforts to repeal the ACA, and the list continues. The Clinton Administration, and other past presidents, have attempted to pass some form of universal healthcare or reform, with little to no success. The Obama Administration’s push to enact the Affordable Care Act through congress was based primarily within contentious political deals, and not focused on policy outcomes.... Read more
Here in Utah, State Senator Mark Madsen is proposing a bill that would legalize medicinal marijuana. And, because it is Utah, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were called to pressure lawmakers against passing this bill. There was an update and still, I just wonder why these guys think they can weigh in at all? Why do they think that whatever they have to say about the issue is relevant whatsoever? The Church rarely comments on political issues... Read more
I recently had the opportunity to see Jeremy Runnells talk at a café off Main and Broadway in downtown SLC. He was there to talk about his pending church disciplinary court (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, go here), and though I’m glad I went, I have to admit it was a pretty awkward experience for me. From what I could tell, the crowd was overwhelmingly ex-Mormon — which is pretty understandable, given the circumstances — and I... Read more
Frank Miller is more powerful than he’s ever been. His political rants have left his longtime fans embarrassed. His lackluster work of recent years has left younger generations of comic book fans uninterested. But there is no denying that in 2016, we are on the verge of peak Miller. The most obvious reason would, of course, be because Zack Snyder’s upcoming superhero epic Batman vs Superman has taken its cues from Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. Despite the fact that his... Read more
Drawing dragons got me seriously thinking about evolution for the first time. My earlier attempts at drawing had almost all been tracing, but I found none of the images of dragons I found satisfactory. What was more unfortunate was that dragons didn’t exist (spoiler), so I had no reference photos. Consequently, I had to break them down into their component parts. For the first time in my life, I found myself studying bones and muscles. I not only studied how... Read more
Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) by the military, have become a contentious issue within American foreign affairs. Neoconservatives have called for stronger military engagement within the Middle East, with those on the left wishing to back away from any military intervention within the region. Though these opinions are not often based within political theory. Realism has been used as a guide within American foreign policy for multiple presidential administrations, and consulting realist political theory within the actions... Read more
Peculiar People
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