On topic (I think): There is a famous historical precedent, in the career of one James Michael Curley: "James Michael Curley (November 20, 1874 – November 12, 1958) was an American Democratic po… (View Post)

There's a detail in Washington state's elections that has charmed me for years: A Republican won the Secretary of State's office in 1964 (which was not a great year for Republicans), and Republicans … (View Post)

In the US, some states allowed betting on horse races, when most other gambling was still illegal. (I think the argument was that horse racing needed gambling, in order to "improve the breed&quo… (View Post)

FPT: Robert Heinlein's writings still have the ability to provoke controversy. Most of it, I am sorry to say, does not recognize the range of his thinking. His early novel, "Beyond this Horizon&… (View Post)

FPT: Here's a lengthy discussion of the "women and children first" principle, and how it grew in the 19th century: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_and_children_first Most famous example… (View Post)