Michael Austin

Professor-turned-administrator and political commentator. Author of six books including "That's Not What They Meant! Reclaiming the Founding Fathers from the American Right" (Prometheus Books).

How do We Cure Political Dysfunction? "Let the More Loving One Be Me"

If equal affection cannot be, Let the more loving one be me . --W.H. Auden One of the more comforting myths of the modern political age is that the government

By Michael Austin

January 8, 2014

How to Argue with a Friend

The Work of Civility Human beings are really good at fighting with enemies. We’ve been doing it for millions of years, so the genes for fierce intraspecies competition are

By Michael Austin

December 11, 2013

Can We Overcome Confirmation Bias?

“I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken.”― Oliver Cromwell Five years ago, I wrote a book about evolution and human cognition. In

By Michael Austin

December 6, 2013

Arguing to Persuade

Perhaps the least helpful criticism I have ever received on my writing went like this (caps in the original): "THANKS FOR ANOTHER GREAT LIBTARD RANT. IF YOU ARE SO

By Michael Austin

December 1, 2013

How Not to Argue Like a Chimpanzee Slinging Poo

When I read articles about what is happening in Washington DC, I almost always come away thinking that Americans deserve a better government than we have. But when I read

By Michael Austin

November 23, 2013

Ice Cream Sundae Rules in a Marshmallow Culture: A Few Thoughts on the Filibuster

What we want now is more important than what we want most. You’ve probably heard about the famous experiment, or some variation of it, where a young child has

By Michael Austin

November 22, 2013

Divided? Yes; Unprecedented? Not Even Close

Historical perspective can be marvelous for whatever ails you—especially if what ails you is the belief that things are worse in America today than they have ever been. This

By Michael Austin

October 26, 2013

Compromise Is Impossible, but a Fig Leaf Would Be Nice

They can't compromise. It’s a matter of simple definition. Compromise occurs when parties each agree to give up something they want in order to produce an agreement

By Michael Austin

October 2, 2013

On Not Liking Obamacare: What It Means, and What It Doesn't

There is some good news for Republicans in today’s Quinnipiac Poll of attitudes about the government shutdown. The core assertion that they have been defending during the shutdown negotiations

By Michael Austin

October 1, 2013

Intelligent Design, Dumb Luck, and God

Meanwhile, back in Kansas. . . . Assuming that the looming government shutdown leaves the federal court system more or less intact, the court in my home state of Kansas will soon be

By Michael Austin

September 29, 2013

Congress on Strike!

The first few Congresses just didn’t have that much to do. They had to approve a handful of presidential appointments, they had to decide whether or not we were

By Michael Austin

September 28, 2013

The Shutdown Speech that Obama Should Give

Dear President Obama, I wrote this for you to give next week. I didn't have your personal e-mail, so I am just going to post it to

By Michael Austin

September 26, 2013