On January 6, a mob of anarchists, conspiracy theorists, and delusional Trump supporters carrying Trump/Pence, American and Confederate flags stormed and desecrated the hallowed halls of Congress. This stunning act of insurrection and assault on our democracy was incited by Donald Trump. For the four years that he has been in office, the Trump administration has been engaged in a continuing assault. That assault is the hollowing out of the federal government. While not as visible to the … [Read more...]

This past Christmas Eve, NBC ran the Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. Those who have not seen this phenomenal film might think it is just another feel good and mindless holiday movie. It is not. It is just the opposite. It is a feel real and mindful “dark” movie with a powerful message. That message is what we do in our life to build community and to help others matters, even if we lose sight and confidence that it does. The 1946 film, directed by Frank Capra, tells the story of … [Read more...]

  Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door. - Words of poet Emma Lazarus at the base of the Statue of Liberty   ‘My late step-father, Samuel Pisar, was one of 900 children in his school in Bialystok, Poland, but the only one to survive the Holocaust after four years in concentration camps. ‘At … [Read more...]

  Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division; have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. Those were the words of president-elect Donald Trump in his acceptance speech on November 9 after it was apparent that he would be the winner in the 2016 election. Four years later, when it was apparent that he would be the loser of the 2020 election, Trump was … [Read more...]

  On October 26, in the dark of the night, Republicans in the Senate confirmed the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett in order to pack the Supreme Court. In common terminology, “packing the Supreme Court” is used to refer to adding more seats to the Court. That is not our use of the phrase. For us, packing is not the number of judges on the Supreme Court. Packing is the nature of those judges and how they were appointed. Barrett was pushed through, in an aggressive and accelerated manner, … [Read more...]

  Never mind! That would be the response of tens of millions of Donald Trump’s loyal supporters on what to do to counteract his egregious actions, tweets and statements. They would say that to others, as they themselves would always mind. They would embrace whatever Trump says and do whatever he asks. Why is that? Who are the Trump supporters? As we noted in an August 2016 blog before the presidential election that year, “Trump supporters are of two principal types: right wing … [Read more...]

    “Would you tell me, please which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat “I don’t much care where,” said Alice “Then, it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.” -Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland Unlike Alice in Wonderland, many Americans, know where they want to go. They want to make America great. The problem is that what constitutes greatness and the way to get there differs substantially depending on … [Read more...]

  What is needed at this time is a massive and targeted jobs bill. The goal for that bill should be: To put American Workers back to meaningful work in full-time jobs in as short a time frame as possible. The jobs bill should be thought of as an employment benefits bill and an alternative to unemployment benefits. Unemployment benefits are definitely necessary as transitional tools. They are not job creators, however, and do not restore the dignity that only a job can provide. … [Read more...]

  “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Those words spoken by President John F. Kennedy nearly six decades ago at his inauguration on January 20, 1961 have inspired generations and millions of Americans to serve their country. I am among them. President Kennedy has inspired others through his deeds as well as his words. He was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal of Honor for his heroic actions after the sinking of his PT 109 boat during … [Read more...]