Recent Commentaries

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The Dark Side
In the age of Trump everything is a cultural/political battlefield where the truth is suspect and the weapons are in most everyone’s hands. The Internet is the infrastructure and social media has become a pipeline of hate speech, conspiracies and political tribalism; a cultural free-for-all where people say whatever they want, attach a link to fear or hate, and pass...
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November 30, 2018
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Ethical Hero – Dorothy Day
After scanning the list of individuals in this column, I realized that women were underrepresented. This is the second in a series of women whose contributions made a difference. An American journalist, social activist and Roman Catholic, “On May 1, 1933,” The New York Times writes (July 29), “during the height of the Great Depression, Day stood in Union Square...
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November 29, 2018
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Touch Down!
“Wish you were here!” – tweet from InSight Mars lander, 12:03 PM – 26 Nov 2018 “@NASAInSight sent home its first photo after #MarsLanding: InSight’s view is a flat, smooth expanse called Elysium Planitia, but its workspace is below the surface, where it will study Mars’ deep interior,” the rest of the tweet reads. “The pursuit of excellence,”   » Read more...
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November 27, 2018
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Donald Trump: Renaissance Man
“…my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart… genius….and a very stable genius at that!” – Donald J. Trump, January 6, 2018 On Thanksgiving Day, President Trump was asked what he was most thankful for. “for having a great family, and for having made a tremendous difference in this country.  » Read more about: Donald Trump:...
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November 26, 2018
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Remembering Who We Are
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy Today marks the 45th anniversary of the assassination of President John Kennedy. Perhaps the most vivid memory of Kennedy I have comes from January 20, 1961 when my seventh-grade teacher wheeled a big,...
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November 22, 2018
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Will The Federalists Help Save the Union?
The Federalist Society is a group of conservatives and libertarians who believe in a strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. Often referred to as “originalists,” the Society’s central argument for judicial restraint can be found in Federalist Paper 78, authored by Alexander Hamilton: “It can be of no weight to say that the courts, on the pretense of a repugnancy,...
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November 19, 2018
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CNN v. Trump
In response to yet another controversial and unprecedented action taken by President Trump, cable news organization CNN has filed a lawsuit against the president, as well as some members of his administration, for revoking White House Correspondent Jim Acosta’s press pass to The White House. Updated: Friday, 11:23 a.m. The opening of the 18-page lawsuit reads: “…on November 7, 2018,...
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November 16, 2018
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The Ethical Take: Big Kahuna Edition
In the olden days (of 2017), I used to say, “every week”; ridiculous! Every DAY, Trump and/or his administration face some new potential legal or ethical issue. Here’s the latest rundown: Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke – According to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), “…Zinke has racked up 17 federal investigations into his behavior since becoming Secretary.” “…the...
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November 14, 2018
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Never Forget
NBC’s Saturday Night Live (Nov. 11), offered a funny and thoughtful exchange between regular Pete Davidson and Lt. Com. Dan Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who lost an eye from an I.E.D. in Afghanistan and was recently elected to the House. As the segment of Weekend Update unfolded, I was completely unaware of the previous week’s show and who Crenshaw...
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November 12, 2018
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If You Don’t “Embrace,” I Will Debase
“When a man does all he can, though it succeeds not well, blame not him that did it.” – George Washington, Rules of Civility Civility is a word Mr. Trump and his spokespersons use only when condemning reporters who have the temerity to ask hard questions. What is a “hard” question? Any question the president doesn’t like. The latest hard...
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November 9, 2018