What follows below is a test.  Read the italicized statements and identify the speaker.  Is it Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamie Dimon, or Steve Bannon? *You have to break the mindset that stock buybacks are fine, that crony capitalism is fine, and that tax breaks for

Many are wondering why Kamala Harris, who ran a flawless campaign for President in 2024 and had a billion dollars in her war chest, was unable to defeat a 78-year-old scandal-ridden felon. A reason might be that though the economy was booming, 36.8 million people, roughly 11 percent o

When Donald Trump says he wants to make America great again, he isn’t talking about reverting to isolationism. He’s said  America shouldn’t stand alone.  What he envisions is a global strategy that divides the world into three spheres of influence the way the U. S., Britain, a

On a visit to an ophthalmologist, I noticed my medical chart said I was mobility impaired.  Having climbed 3 flights of stairs to get to his office, I was non-plussed.  “What does this mean?” I said, stabbing an accusing finger at the chart.  The doctor took a moment to read th

Patriotism is out of favor these days, dropping from 70% support in 2000 to 38% today.  (“The Strange Triumph of a Broken America,” by Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, Jan/Feb. 2025, pg. 50.)  Because we choose our leaders in a democracy, the decline says the voters are unhappy

A friend shared a letter with me from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.  In it, he outlined a course of political action for the future. (Dec. 31, 2024)  Like many of us, he sees the next 4 years as rocky ones for the country.  To protect our democracy he makes 3 proposal

Though averse to ageism, I was moved when I  read that longtime Congresswoman Anne Kuste was retiring to allow someone younger to take her place.  As a tribute to her decision, I have recorded below my relevant brunch conversation with a Millennial.                  

                                What is hope but futility for moments stood on end?  (Sydney Lee) When I was a child learning my catechism, I wondered about the hopelessness of hell.  Condemned to the fires of eternal damnation, why didn’t those lost souls rebel? 

During the 2024 election campaign, those scratching for a reason to support Donald Trump said they wanted someone with business experience who could make the government more efficient.  Why they would hold that hope for a man who filed six bankruptcies is a mystery. Nonetheless, thei

Campaigning with Vice President Kamala Harris in a battleground state, Republican Liz Cheney framed the stakes of the 2024 election like this.  Our own security and our own freedom require that we have a president who understands America has to lead and that our strength comes from o