Joe Biden has decided to run for President with a woman, Kamala Harris. I remember when John McCain picked Sarah Palin in 2008 as his running mate, and when Walter Mondale selected Geraldine Ferraro in 1984. You may have thought of these women as ground-breakers in national politics. But no, it goes back further than
I think most of us would agree that this country turned out pretty well. The Founding Fathers did a really good job of getting us started, with a constitution that has been amended only 27 times in over 232 years of its operation. It works about as well in the modern age as in the
I will admit that being both a regular user of Facebook and a history nerd, plus having a policy of not unfriending anyone, does bring some excitement into one’s life. As such, I have been avidly following the discussions about Black Lives Matter, especially the counterargument that all lives matter. Yes, all lives certainly should.
The coronavirus pandemic is causing a serious reexamination of our lives, including our priorities. At times the need for medical supplies has become so acute we’ve been forced to deal with some very uncomfortable questions. For example, if the curve isn’t flattened and the hospitals are overwhelmed, who gets priority treatment? Should it be the
I know — virtually every day, week and month has a designation, sometimes multiple designations, to commemorate. That’s why I was not surprised when a friend told me today was National Freedom of Information Day (NFID). Why not? This day comes to us courtesy of nationally syndicated radio talk show host Jim Bohannon. Its purpose
After viewing the recent impeachment hearings and President Trump’s reaction, I’m going to throw out two words (and then run for cover): Greek Tragedy. Does anyone else feel like that’s really what we’re watching? The ancient Greeks loved their theater, particularly their tragedies. The plays that have survived the ages have inspired a genre with
You may have seen the expression “bleeding heart” used occasionally in political columns. Actually, it has a surprisingly long history in Western literature. According to Merriam-Webster, the phrase first appeared as “he felte his herte blede” in Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th-century poem Troilus and Criseyde. It also took on a religious meaning as an image of the
If you are wondering how the latest U.S. border policy was implemented and what effects it is having on both the immigrants and the Border Patrol, the National Public Radio program This American Life has produced a show about the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” asylum policy. Entitled “The Out Crowd,” it first aired on
Our Founding Fathers did not make it easy for us. They could’ve given us a king or other type of supreme leader and let it go at that. That would’ve been much simpler — just do what you’re told and don’t worry. But instead they gave us a system that requires a lot of work
August 30 was the birthday of Molly Ivins (1944-2007), a favorite journalist/humorist of mine. Among her musings is “The thing about democracy, beloveds, is that it is not neat, orderly, or quiet. It requires a certain relish for confusion.” She was born in Monterey, California, but raised in Houston, Texas; her adopted state provided plenty