Recently, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). People rejoiced and slapped one another on the back, forgetting that when the provision was introduced in the 1970s, it had a 7-year expiration date. No matter how good it felt, the ratification of ER

If age has taught me one lesson, it’s that the past is not prologue to the future. Even so, the media is awash with pundits acting as touts, giving political tips to anyone who will listen. David Faris’ recent article in The Week, for example, offers a damning critique of how the

There are two occasions when a person ought to reflect upon the words of John F. Kennedy’s: Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. The first is during a time of war when citizens are asked to defend their nation.  The second occurs in a perio

Standing in the mail room of the retirement center, I noticed my cubby hole sported no green dot like that of my neighbor’s.  Curious, I asked a woman who was passing what the dot meant.  She seemed surprised by my question but answered politely.  “The green dot  indicates the

Needing a break from all the heated political debate, I kicked off my shoes yesterday and sat down to read the latest edition of Town&Country.  I wondered how the beautiful people avoided ill-tempered frown lines? Naturally, I didn’t expect to see  Donald Trump among those in

I’m all for confidence but the just turned 30, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez  (AOC) has an assurance that leaves me breathless. Having won a Congressional house seat from New York, she has certainly hit the ground running. But does she know the terrain, I wonder. Certainly, the number of

I support Elizabeth Warren’s bid for President of the United States.  She has plans to address our multiple problems.  I admit I couldn’t swear by any of them.  Take her wealth tax plan, for example.   Generally speaking, a wealth tax works like this: “You calculate a house

In the dark days of winter, I admit there are occasions when curling up like a sow bug to stare at my navel seems to be the best response to the world. For two days, for example, my computer was on the fritz. When it eventually beamed back at me with renewed life, the news headlines s

I may have told this story before, but while in public office and after a day of fierce debate on social policy, I stepped down from my dais and stormed into my office with a staff member following in my wake.  My voice as dripping with incredulity as I turned to complain to that you

My friend from the retirement center looked worried as we entered a coffee shop that also made chocolate confectionaries.   Surrounded by bonbons of every size and flavor, I wondered that anyone could wear a frown. “What do you think of this Soleimani business,” the woman mutter