Category Archives: Assorted Musings

A Comparison of Gun Violence in America and Terrorist Attacks in Israel

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Ryan Scoville

I was part of the group of students and faculty that recently visited Israel. It was truly an amazing trip, and it reshaped my perception of everything from the Syrian civil war, to Biblical history, to the contemporary political dynamics … Continue reading →

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In Praise of Flip-Floppers (Part III)

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Ryan Scoville

In my last two posts (here and here) I scrutinized the tendency for voters, the media, and politicians to use flip-flopper critiques indiscriminately. Common usage is indiscriminate in part because it seems to accept without question that position changes by candidates … Continue reading →

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In Praise of Flip-Floppers (Part II)

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Ryan Scoville

In my last post I scrutinized the tendency for contemporary political discourse to use the pejorative term “flip-flop” to refer to virtually any change of position by a candidate for public office. I argued that this usage uncritically discounts the possibility … Continue reading →

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In Praise of Flip-Floppers

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Ryan Scoville

Consider the flip-flopper critique, one of the more common tools of attack in contemporary politics. Ron Paul has used it against Newt Gingrich. Many have used it against Mitt Romney. Some call President Obama the “flip-flopper-in-chief”; others speak similarly of … Continue reading →

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