Wednesday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Wednesday, April 8, 2026
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7 comments
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About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
Follow Steven on
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BlueSky.
Here are the 10 point Iran demands, listed:
“List”
A responsible President of character would find it hard to accede to all this, but instead we have Donald J. Trump. Stay tuned.
(of course, with a normal President, the situation would not exist to begin with).
Not just Israel but the GCC also are not on board:
“Wajeeh Lion”
“Wajeeh Lion”
So. TACO. And once again we are to celebrate the arson for pissing on the conflagration that he started.
@charontwo:
Right. Or to any of the ten demands, with the possible exception of:
1. Guarantee that Iran will not be attacked again. (with crossed fingers behind back)
There needs to be an end to this war, but it’s difficult to see any U.S. objectives (whatever they may be) having been met. Despite the “decimating” of its air force, navy, nuclear program, and ballistic missile capability, Iran is in a stronger position now (as are, to a degree, China and Russia).
@Eusebio:
This deal is premised on the belief that Israel is a U.S. client state that can be forced to go along and the GCC objections can be ignored. I don’t see these beliefs as all that solid.
Spent last evening in a lovely establishment on Inis Mor (Aran Islands) with four locals. Takeaways:
1. The locals on this small island are better informed about US politics than most Americans.
2. As stated in a previous post, they hate Trump. Like real hatred. Their will celebrations all over Ireland when he dies. That’s not speculation. That was said to us more than once.
3. Dublin, Galway, and most large cities and mid-sized towns are currently having protests against high fuel prices. Dublin and Galway are effectively shut down due to tractors blocking every major street. They piled up, parked and have left their trucks and tractors parked in the middle of roads.
4. The locals were kind to us the moment they realized we were not “Red Hat wearers”. If you wear a MAGA hat in Ireland, you will not be treated well. If you associate at all in any way with MAGA, you might be kicked out of the pub you’re in.
5. By American CURRENT standards, both Ireland and Northern w are MUCH MORE woke than the USA. Every restaurant lists allergens for each mean. Our hotels have listed things like “Autism Friendly” and “All Genders Welcomed here”. There are signs everywhere that proclaim “End Racism Now” and “No Room for Racism in Sport”.
Gonna suck coming back to the USA in 10 days. Sad that I feel more at home in certain foreign countries than I do in the place I was born.
Two recommendations for those needing an escape:
Movie: Train Dreams. Quiet, meditative movie about a man’s life of no real consequence. Takes place in early 20th century rural Northwest. I really can’t stop thinking about it and I suspect everyone will come away with a different reaction. It is that kind of movie.
Book: The Wager by David Grann. True story about the disastrous voyage of a British warship (named the Wager) in 1740s. Well researched and documented. But with a propulsive narrative. Harrowing. I’m glad I’m living now and not then.