The Rationalist Papers (26): 25 reasons
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The Rationalist Papers (26): 25 reasons

The election is one week from today. What have we learned? Just a reminder: these Rationalist Papers posts are for the group I call the deciders: conservatives, moderates, undecided, and third-party voters considering their choices in the 2020 US Presidential election. We need sober analysis free from the extreme shouts and screams of cable news and social…

The Rationalist Papers (20): Analysis of the candidates’ words at the town halls
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The Rationalist Papers (20): Analysis of the candidates’ words at the town halls

Donald Trump and Joe Biden participated in competing town hall broadcasts last week. I analyzed their speech. Trump talked about himself a lot more, but Biden talked about voters and what he would do for them. Just a reminder: these Rationalist Papers posts are for the group I call the deciders: conservative, moderate, undecided, and…

The Rationalist Papers (17): Why bother voting?
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The Rationalist Papers (17): Why bother voting?

The polls say Biden will very likely win. Why spend your time and effort voting? Just a reminder: these Rationalist Papers posts are for the group I call the deciders: conservative, moderate, undecided, and third-party voters considering their choices in the 2020 US Presidential election. The horse race As they do every year, news organizations devote a…

The Rationalist Papers (16): L’état, c’est moi.
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The Rationalist Papers (16): L’état, c’est moi.

The president serves the government and the nation. When the president exploits the functions of government for political aims, we must toss him out. Just a reminder: these Rationalist Papers posts are for the group I call the deciders: conservative, moderate, undecided, and third-party voters considering their choices in the 2020 US Presidential election. In the early…

The Rationalist Papers (15): Big tent
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The Rationalist Papers (15): Big tent

American presidential politics has always been about winning over the middle. And Donald Trump has abandoned the middle. Are you in the middle? Just a reminder: these Rationalist Papers posts are for the group I call the deciders: conservative, moderate, undecided, and third-party voters considering their choices in the 2020 US Presidential election. Who’s for Biden? Certainly…

The Rationalist Papers (14): The presidential COVID quiz
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The Rationalist Papers (14): The presidential COVID quiz

While most Republicans believe Trump has handled the COVID-19 crisis as well as other wealthy countries, nearly all Democrats disagree. If you were in charge, could you have done better? Today we find out. Just a reminder: these Rationalist Papers posts are for the group I call the deciders: conservative, moderate, undecided, and third-party voters considering their…

The Rationalist Papers (13): A normal debate
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The Rationalist Papers (13): A normal debate

The “debate” between Joe Biden’s selection for vice-president, Senator Kamala Harris, and Trump’s VP Mike Pence was normal by 21st Century televised debate standards. By that I mean that the level of shouting, screaming, interrupting, and abuse was sufficiently low that it was actually possible to hear much of what the candidates were saying, and…

The Rationalist Papers (9):  Trump, COVID, risk, and opportunity
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The Rationalist Papers (9): Trump, COVID, risk, and opportunity

Donald Trump has announced that he and his wife have tested positive for COVID-19. I’ll look at the question of how we got to this point in the broader context of risk — and describe the unlikely opportunity it creates. Just a reminder: these Rationalist Papers posts are for the group I call the deciders: conservative, moderate,…