When Senator Cory Booker announced he would filibuster to protest Donald Trump’s policies,  a woman on  Facebook wondered if his actions would have an impact. She was trawling for opinions, not data, as the filibuster had yet to occur. At best, any reply would have to be grounded

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