Not Necessarily the News was a satirical HBO comedy series that ran from 1983 to 1990. A small segment of Americans turned to the show back then to see the news spoofed in skits and altered actual news coverage as entertainment. Fast forward four decades to 2023, and what a large segment of the American public is turning to today as their source for the news is Not Necessarily the News. This was revealed in a national survey conducted by the Gallup and Knight Foundation in October … [Read more...]
OUR NATIONAL NIGHTMARE
In 2023, the United States of America continues to grow as a graveyard for the victims of mass shootings and other gun deaths. The USA gave birth to the American Dream of endless opportunity. For too many today, the USA has become an American Nightmare of opportunity ended. Mass Shooting and Gun Death Statistics Mass shootings capture the headlines and significant media coverage. Other deaths caused by, and with a gun, much less so. As the following discussion shows, Americans … [Read more...]
Small Business Is Big Business
This past week (April 30 — May 6) was National Small Business Week (NSBW). In 2023, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), as in past years, sponsored and promoted NSBW as a time to recognize and celebrate the essential contribution that small business makes to the American economy. One of the online events the SBA convened to do this was a Virtual Summit held on May 2–3. On those days, the Virtual Summit featured “educational workshops presented by event … [Read more...]
The Indoctrinator
Following woke indoctrination in our schools, that is a road to ruin for our country. And we’re not going to let that happen in Florida. - Ron DeSantis Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has become the rising star in the Republican Party and the potential leading challenger to Donald Trump to secure the nomination to be the Republican candidate for President in 2024. He has achieved this status by purportedly being a champion of free speech and citizens’ rights. DeSantis … [Read more...]
The Need for Civics in the Middle
In 2023, the polar ice caps are melting. The political polarization in the U.S. is hardening. That’s proof that climate change is not just limited to the environment. The political, social and emotional climate in our nation is changing as well. Much of the environmental climate change can be attributed to things that we humans are doing. In contrast, much of the political, social and emotional climate change can be attributed to what we humans are not doing. We are failing to develop … [Read more...]
Word of the Year: Democracy
After a long and hard-fought campaign, it is now my honor to utter the four most powerful words in a democracy: “The people have spoken.” I have often said that a vote is a prayer for the world we desire for ourselves and our children. — Raphael Warnock, victory speech …I don’t want any of you to stop dreaming. I don’t want any of you to stop believing in America. I want you to believe in America, and to continue to believe in the Constitution and believe … [Read more...]
Republicans Trumped: Reflections on the Midterms and Beyond
This guy (Donald Trump) is the best thing for Democrats since FDR. — Former GOP Rep Francis Rooney (R-FL) Going into the mid-term elections, the conventional wisdom espoused by pundits, pollsters, and the media was that the Democrats were going to take a serious shellacking. They were wrong. On November 8, the Democrats did some shellacking of their own. Politicians, analysts, and reporters cited a number of reasons for this including: abortion, democracy, turnout, boots on … [Read more...]
2022 Thanksgiving Thoughts: The Light of Democracy Still Shines
This Thanksgiving we are thankful that the light of our American democracy still shines. Much of the media in the period from Labor Day in September until the midterm elections on November 8 was consumed with politically-related coverage. That coverage featured stories about: an American people who were polls and poles apart; crazies and conspiracy theorists; threats and intimidations of election officials and workers; voter suppression versus voter expression; lawsuits alleging fraud … [Read more...]
Stop Making Sense: America’s New National Anthem?
In 1984, the American rock band Talking Heads released a classic live album titled Stop Making Sense. That album featured songs such as Psycho Killer, Burning Down the House, and Life During Wartime. That album title could be America’s new national anthem as those cuts are emblematic of the politically and socially divided times in which we Americans find ourselves today. We are living in a country in which truth has become fiction, conspiracy theories have … [Read more...]
What is the Future of Public Education in the U.S.?
Public education is one of the primary pillars on which this American democracy was built during the 19th and 20th centuries. In this 21st century, especially over the past few years, public education has been pilloried. The question becomes what is the future for public education in the U.S.? To determine that let’s examine its history, current status, and the challenges and opportunities for public education going forward. Public Education … [Read more...]