POLITICS & THE ECONOMY
GUESS WHO’S HOSTING THE OSCARS
Donald Trump is clearly demonstrating to America that busyness is next to godliness. Last February, Trump appointed himself chair of D.C.’s Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. This past Wednesday, Trump announced the—his—Kennedy Center honorees. They include Sylvester Stallone who, along with Mel Gibson and Jon Voight, will be his “eyes and ears” in Hollywood. Americans…
Read MoreMY BANK KERFUFFLE—A FABLE
Dealing with numbers like your bank balance can be exasperating. I went online to see the balance in the checking account Carolyn and I maintain to pay household bills and collect Social Security. The website was way out of whack! Our balance appeared only in the low four-digit range ($1,000–$9,999). I expected to see a…
Read MoreEXTREMISM AND ITS PERILS
A character in the Book of Numbers and a man who ran for President of the United States 60 years ago share something in common. I n 1964, Senator Barry Goldwater (R. Ariz.) campaigned against Lyndon Johnson, who assumed the presidency after the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy. In his acceptance speech at the GOP…
Read MoreTHE FOURTH, NEIL DIAMOND AND ME
Who cried three times during a Broadway touring musical about the pop songwriter-singer Neil Diamond? Recently, Carolyn and I saw “A Beautiful Noise” about Diamond’s career and emotional challenges. And yes, the one who cried was me. Let me explain, particularly since today is the Fourth of July. One of the show’s first songs was…
Read MoreBUNKER BUSTING QUESTIONS
Right after Air Force B-2s dropped “bunker busters” on Fordo and Natanz last Saturday, President Trump announced that those facilities had been “obliterated.” Did he jump the gun? A preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency report—I emphasize “preliminary”— stated that Iran’s nuclear program had been set back by only two to three months. In a few days, more optimistic…
Read MoreAMERICA AND IRAN PLAY CHICKEN
When making decisions, government leaders must evaluate their nation’s pain threshold and their own political risks. Cue Donald Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump gave Khamenei 60 days to agree to processing uranium only for civilian use—and outside Iran. Khamenei refused. The deadline passed. Given the stalemate and American inaction, Israeli prime minister Benjamin…
Read MoreDISHONORING THE FLAG
A military parade in Washington will mark Flag Day tomorrow when Donald Trump again dishonors the Stars and Stripes. I love our flag. At its best, it stands for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness—and equal treatment before the law—for everyone. The parade supposedly will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. I have…
Read MoreWE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE
Today marks the eighty-first anniversary of D-Day, the Normandy invasion to reclaim Europe from Nazi Germany. Our troops displayed incredible courage. How sad, then, that a veteran of a later war revealed cowardice as a U.S. senator. Joni Ernst, R.-Iowa, graduated from Iowa State and, through ROTC, was commissioned a second-lieutenant in the Army. In…
Read MoreANTISEMITES “PROTECTING” JEWS
The Trump administration boasts about protecting American Jews from antisemitism and anti-Israel attacks. The truth is just the opposite. Jews have been called “the canary in the coal mine.” Attacks on Jews warn that a society is giving way to ethnic autocracy. Other minorities soon will be assaulted. This canary smells the scent emanating from…
Read MorePOTUS’ FLYING PALACE
The Defense Department just accepted a luxury Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar to serve as Air Force One. But that’s only half the story. The new plane, meant to serve only King Donald, must undergo serious modifications to make it presidentially secure. But other changes will be made in response to Oval Office demands. The…
Read MorePLATO, COMICS AND COMPETING AMERICAN VISIONS
The Greek philosopher Plato and several comic-strip characters can tell us where America should be going. Plato wrote of numina and phenomena. Numina represent the ideal. Phenomena attempt to express the ideal in physical or other form. Plato used a chair as an example. The ideal chair can’t be seen. Real chairs, whatever their design, are attempts to…
Read MoreO CANADA!
Does eating breakfast make me a Benedict Arnold? I’ve always considered myself a loyal American. When I was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army after being graduated from Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, I swore to protect and defend the Constitution. I maintain that oath. Now, am I aiding and abetting a…
Read MoreDEMOLITION DERBY
My neighborhood is full of home-improvement projects, including my own. What I see says a lot about today’s American government. Most homeowners and landlords maintain or upgrade their properties. New owners often make major renovations. On my daily walks, I see up to two dozen subcontractors providing electrical and plumbing services, hardwood floors, windows, sheetrock,…
Read MorePOLICE STATE USA
A favorite novel begins with a terrified protagonist: “The footsteps—thick-sole, steel-toe heavy, no pretense at stealth—approached our floor from the wrong direction. On a Monday morning, most people left their apartments for work, shlepped their still-sleepy way down the stairs as Indira had earlier. The stomping that terrified me came up from the lobby. I…
Read MoreTHE HERMIT OF MAPLE STREET—A FABLE
A drive to brunch at a friend’s house provided a jarring encounter with a suburban hermit. As I parked at the curb at the house next-door, the neighbor’s front door flew open. A white-haired man popped out. He wore a red, white and blue bathrobe over white pajamas. His feet were tucked into red slippers.…
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