A Lesson on the Need for Focus from GE. General Electric set the standard for business success in the 20th century. In 1999, Fortune magazine named Jack Welch, its CEO at the time, the best manager of the century. GE was one of the original businesses on the Dow Jones industrial average, established in 1907. On June 26, GE was dropped from the blue chip index, replaced by the Walgreen’s Boots Alliance drug store chain. In the first eighteen years of this new century, GE’s … [Read more...]
1968 to 2018 The Arc of American History
The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. – Martin Luther King 1968 was a watershed year for the United States of America and us. It appears that 2018 may be so as well. 1968 is the year that Martin Luther King and Robert Francis Kennedy were tragically assassinated. It is also the year that Frank Islam came to the U.S. from India to study computer science at the University of Colorado in Boulder and Ed Crego, after serving in Vietnam, joined the staff … [Read more...]
Ensuring An Effective Civic Education-Time To Strike Up The Band
What are the ingredients for an effective civic education? In March of this year, the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) issued a position statement that declared, At its core, civic education should provide students with the ability to take informed action to address problems relevant to life in a democratic republic. It should target the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to ensure that young people are truly capable of becoming active and … [Read more...]
The Struggle for America’s Head, Heart and Soul
Since the beginning of this year, there have been a spate of books such as Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury; David Cay Johnston’s It’s Even Worse than You Think; and James Comey’s A Higher Loyalty that “spill the beans” on Donald Trump. While entertaining reads, they do not provide much insight into the future of this democracy. Three new books released within the past few months do so — because they provide perspectives on the ongoing struggle for America’s head, heart … [Read more...]
The Trump Divert-Autocracy
For some time now, we have been mulling over how best to describe Donald Trump’s approach to governing. Others have labeled it an autocracy, an oligarchy, and even a theocracy. Recently it dawned on us that because of Trump’s unique style and persona no existing term could depict it completely or accurately. So, we have coined divert-autocracy as a new compound word to capture the essence of Trump-ness. This divert-autocracy is a full frontal assault on the United States … [Read more...]
Upton Sinclair & the Sinclair Broadcasting Group
Two Contrasting Journalistic Tales In the early part of the 20th century, Upton Sinclair spoke out with a singular voice. In the early part of this 21st century, the Sinclair Broadcast Group (Sinclair Group or Group) is speaking out with a singular voice as well. While the names and the singular voices may be the same, their manner of speaking out is quite different. Upton Sinclair, a muckraking novelist and journalist, first raised his voice in 1906 to gain national attention with … [Read more...]
March for Our Lives: The Pivot Point for New Gun Laws
The Washington D.C. March for Our Lives is over. Does the beat go on? Will this fledgling movement continue and have a lasting impact resulting in new gun laws nationally and in states across this country? In our opinion, it will. That’s because the tragic shootings in Parkland Florida and the immediate reaction and initiatives launched by the high school students from there represent a pivot point. A pivot point is an area that can be leveraged and addressed effectively in order to … [Read more...]
Second Amendment Rights. Second Amendment Wrongs
On March 24, students and citizens from across this great nation will gather in Washington DC for the March for Our Lives. They are not saying it this way, but they will be exercising their First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and assembly; protecting valid Second Amendment rights; and protesting what have become Second Amendment wrongs. If one were to believe the rhetoric of the NRA and gun activists, the Second Amendment to the Constitution grants virtually unrestricted gun rights to … [Read more...]
The NRA, Mind Control, and Mental Health
Stick ’em up! That’s what the NRA continues to say as it holds the United States of America hostage with the Second Amendment as its gun. The NRA is embracing the one right that it recognizes as sacrosanct and elevating it above all others. By doing so, it is perfectly willing and committed to limiting the American citizens’ “unalienable rights” to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The most recent example of the NRA’s assault-style behavior using the Second came on March 9 when … [Read more...]
The Smoke and Mirrors Infrastructure Plan
It was less than one month ago on February 12, that President Trump introduced his American Infrastructure Initiative. Since then, the President has had very little to say about infrastructure as his attention has turned to other matters such as gun control, tariffs, and immigration. Congress has not paid much attention to Trump’s infrastructure recommendations either as it has been consumed by a myriad of other issues. Indeed, in late February when Senator John … [Read more...]