Recent Commentaries

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How Do You Spell Excess?
In an age of gilded toilets and mink-covered walls, even I was surprised by this story. On the front page of the Business section of The New York Times (Nov. 4), journalist James B. Stewart writes about a story originally reported by The Wall Street Journal (Oct. 18), about how former G.E. CEO Jeff Immelt traveled around the world in...
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November 29, 2017
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That Uranium Deal: An Update
“Knowing what you know about Russia, was it really a good idea for the Obama administration and the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to approve a deal giving the Russians control of 20 percent of our uranium supply? . . . Why did Hillary’s office and the Obama administration sign off on giving the Russians a fifth of our uranium? . . . What...
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November 27, 2017
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The Ethical Take: Some of the President’s Men
The E.T. is looking at the few, the ignorant, and the humbly-challenged of Trump’s “best people” from his administration. Mick Mulvaney – currently head of the Office of Management and Budget, will temporarily do double-duty as interim director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau since the departure of Richard Cordray who served as the bureau’s first director. Remember the banking excesses...
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November 24, 2017
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We Need a Good Laugh
With the bombardment of sexual harassment allegations, admissions, confessions, apologies, and denials from Harvey Weinstein to Charlie Rose, I’m shell-shocked. We need to take a break, and not just be thankful for our own families, friends and lives, but I think we need a good laugh. In that spirit, here are several offerings from the mind of Bizarro artist, Dan...
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November 23, 2017
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“Reeling”
That’s how CBS This Morning host Gayle King described her reaction to the news that co-host, and PBS correspondent Charlie Rose is the latest to be called out and admit to sexual misconduct charges leveled at him. Sitting alone at their morning table, and looking into the camera with sober faces, Norah O’Donnell and Gayle King discussed their reactions to...
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November 22, 2017
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The Menendez Fallacy
What should be done about men who do not directly and blatantly sell the favors of their offices for money and so place themselves within the penalties of the law? How do we deal with those who, under the guise of friendship, accept favors which offend the spirit of the law but do not violate its letter? – Senator J....
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November 20, 2017
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With Courage, Determination and Perseverance
Each year I attend the Annual Evening for Peace sponsored by the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. This year’s recipient, Dr. Ira Helfand and the International Physicians for The Prevention of Nuclear War was unfamiliar to me. Dr. Helfand is co-president of IPPNW and past president of Physicians for Social Responsibility. IPPNW was founded in 1980 by U.S. and Soviet physicians...
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November 17, 2017
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A Moral Imperative
On November 10, His Holiness Pope Francis addressed a Vatican symposium on nuclear disarmament. Francis told his audience that nuclear weapons exist “in the service of a mentality of fear that affects not only the parties in conflict but the entire human race.” Speaking to representatives from Russia, the United States and other countries, Francis made clear that “international relations...
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November 15, 2017
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Of Hypocrites and Predators
Last night, 60 Minutes offered a powerful story by Aly Raisman about how the U.S. Olympic gymnast was sexually abused years ago by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. One question that continually comes up during stories like this is, why now? Why didn’t you report this earlier? Raisman’s answer, “Why are we looking at why didn’t the girls speak...
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November 13, 2017
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Let’s Try
Last month Arizona Senator Jeff Flake delivered a declaration on the floor of the Senate worthy of Daniel Webster, about  how, lately, “…our democracy is more defined by our discord and our dysfunction than by our own values and principles.” He offered a passionate plea that “We must never regard as normal the regular and casual undermining of our democratic...
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November 10, 2017