After President Joe Biden announced his intention to run for re-election in April of 2023, many in the President’s camp believed that touting Bidenomics would help move him toward victory again in 2024. It has not. Instead, vibecession and vabpression appear to be winning and Bidenomics appears to be losing. Let’s examine why. Bidenomics in Perspective The term Bidenomics was bandied about considerably in the last half of 2023. What exactly is it? On June 28 the White … [Read more...]
Will DEI Die?
“DEI must die.” – Elon Musk The civil rights movement of the 1960’s, in conjunction with the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, led to the creation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. These DEI initiatives are intended to ensure appropriate representation and participation of diverse individuals and groups in various types of organizations. For more than one-half century, DEI initiatives were implemented without much interference. … [Read more...]
The Federal Government Imperiled
In January, the Supreme Court heard arguments in two cases which could result in a decision that would severely reduce the scope and regulatory authority of federal government agencies. Such a decision would imperil the effectiveness of the federal government. That effectiveness is already imperiled by actions taken during the Trump presidency as well as the changing attitudes of the general public regarding the federal government. If Donald Trump is successful in his re-election … [Read more...]
Super Tuesday or Stupor Tuesday?
Super Tuesday is a Tuesday early in a presidential election year when a large number of states hold their primaries or caucuses. In 2024, Super Tuesday falls on Tuesday March 5. A total of 16 U.S. states and one territory will hold their nomination contests on that date, and more than one-third of the delegates to the nomination conventions will be decided. In the past, Super Tuesdays have been pivot points that are indicative of who will be the Democratic and Republican nominee … [Read more...]
We the People Need to Protect Our Democracy in 2024
The overarching question as we enter this new year is will our American democracy be Trumped. A Democracy or A Dictatorship Stated more directly, will Donald Trump become the Republican candidate for President, win the presidency, use the office to establish a dictatorship, and convert this nation to an authoritarian state? As 2023 wound to a close, there was a deluge of commentary on that possibility. The Atlantic dedicated a special issue titled “If Trump … [Read more...]
Rosalynn Carter, Dianne Feinstein, Sandra Day O’Connor: Trailblazers
2023 saw the passing of Rosalynn Carter, Dianne Feinstein and Sandra Day O’Connor. These three women were trailblazers. They charted a course, respectively, from their home states of Georgia, California, and Arizona to change the topography of the three branches of the federal government, and to have a significant impact on the United States of America writ large. In the words of Jimmy Buffett, a trailblazer of a different type who also passed in 2023, they … [Read more...]
Our Holiday Wish: One Nation Under God
America is never wholly herself unless she is engaged in high moral principle. We as a people have such a purpose today. It is to make kinder the face of the nation and gentler the face of the world. My friends, we have work to do. — George H. W. Bush, 1989 Inaugural Address As we noted in our blog preceding this one, our American democracy is on trial. Our country is more divided than it is united. There is a need to rediscover the purpose of this great nation, who … [Read more...]
Democracy on Trial
Our American democracy is on trial. The jury in that trial is we, the people. Our verdict will determine democracy’s future. Over the past year, much of the political news has been dominated by stories about Donald Trump’s four indictments, the 91 counts against him, and the trials they’ve precipitated. These trials will have direct consequences for the former president. They will have significant and indirect consequences for our American democracy as well. There is a myriad of other … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving Thoughts on Our Immigrant Nation — 2023
Who are we as citizens of these United States? With the exception of the indigenous Native Americans, we are all immigrants in this immigrant nation. This nation is a great nation. Immigrants have helped make it so. In 1958, before he became president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, wrote a book titled, A Nation of Immigrants. In his book, Kennedy observed: The abundant resources of this land provided the foundations for a great nation. But only people could make the … [Read more...]
America’s Immigration Dilemma in Perspective
Over the past few months, the media has been almost as overwhelmed by stories about the migrant crisis as the country has been by the influx of migrants seeking asylum in the United States. This crisis has intensified America’s immigration dilemma. This dilemma is not new. It has existed for decades. The failure to deal with it constructively in the past has made it more difficult to do so today. In this blog, we examine the immigration dilemma: looking at the surge, its … [Read more...]