Author Archives: bernardporter2013

It’s not only Americans who are obsessed just now – understandably in their case – with Donald J Trump. In the bits of Europe I live in he’s hardly ever out of the news. The same must be true in … Continue reading →

When the ideology of the ‘free market’ first appeared on the political scene in early 19th century Britain, the main objection made to it there was that it was immoral. If everything was left to the ‘market’, then it drove … Continue reading →

One of the things that President Trump is known for is his lack of artistic taste. Of course it’s considered élitist and snobbish to draw attention to this, which is why so few of his critics do. But it’s difficult … Continue reading →

(Sorry to be away so long.) Racial prejudice is not ‘natural’. If it were we would expect children to have it from birth. Masses of research, however, establishes that this is not so. So does the experience of most of … Continue reading →

I’m no Royalist – as anyone on the Left who wants to compliment King Charles III over his speech to Congress yesterday clearly needs to establish – but, yes, I too thought it showed a masterful ability to navigate the … Continue reading →

We often complain about ‘career politicians’; by whom is meant those who have had no other careers before becoming politicians, and so have little experience of what might be called the ‘real life’ of those they are supposed to be … Continue reading →

I imagine that Donald Trump will go down as the worst President in American history (any other candidates?); except by those who believe that his – yes – considerable achievements will put him up there among the Gods. He’s already … Continue reading →

Of course the suggestion that Israel was behind Trump’s attack on Iran fits in with a venerable anti-Semitic trope – the one that attributes all the world’s wars to ‘the Jews’ – and is likely therefore to encourage accusations of … Continue reading →

A lot of people are asking this now. It could be grounds for his removal from office. Personally, I can see a certain perverse logic in his statements and actions up to now, and even a fairly sane explanation for … Continue reading →

That date this year will mark the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence – as every educated American knows. That is, apart from today’s American President; who has a copy of it hanging in his Oval Office, but … Continue reading →