Recent Commentaries

Featured image for “How Do We Restore Trust?”
How Do We Restore Trust?
In 2006, I completed a survey entitled, Honesty and Trust in America. While the study took place 14 years ago, the solutions from more than 8,000 Americans are more relevant than ever. “When it comes to grading the level of trustworthiness of various groups that determine the course of the nation,” I began, “congress received the lowest levels of trustworthiness...
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October 28, 2020
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This Fever of Fear
During the Trump presidency, 35 to 40 percent of Americans have been consumed by a fever of fear: fear of immigrants; fear of black and brown Americans; fear of election security. (The only thing Trump has told supporters not to fear is the coronavirus.) However, Trump’s greatest abuse is sowing doubt and distrust; doubt climate science; distrust our intelligence communities...
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October 26, 2020
Featured image for “The Power of Dialogue and Hope”
The Power of Dialogue and Hope
Hope is not only the light that can be found at the end of the tunnel. It is also the light, faint and flickering, though it may be, that can help us navigate the darkness of our times.  – Archbishop Desmond TuTu I recently read two essays by Daisaku Ikda whose background as peacemaker, Buddhist philosopher and educator has been...
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October 23, 2020
Featured image for “Character Counts! Week”
Character Counts! Week
In personal relationships, in school, at the workplace – in life – who you are makes a difference. – Michael Josephson, founder, Character Counts! program While I have been critical of President Trump on a variety of issues, I appreciate him taking the time to talk about an issue that’s important to us all. His Proclamation, as excerpted: “Personal responsibility,...
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October 21, 2020
Featured image for “Information and Analysis We Can All Use”
Information and Analysis We Can All Use
The speed of communications is wondrous to behold. It is also true that speed can multiply the distribution of information that we know to be untrue. – Edward R. Murrow, 20th century journalist. No doubt Murrow would be outraged by Donald Trump’s daily false information and governance by tweet, but… he and his staff would be working overtime to get...
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October 19, 2020
Featured image for “The Lincoln Project”
The Lincoln Project
It’s not much of a stretch to say that honest Abe would be outraged at the lies, bombast and buffoonery coming from our current president. Even more outrageous are the Republicans that either support or remain silent at his behavior. There are, however, many more Republicans who believe Trump to be such an existential threat to democracy that they’ve decided...
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October 15, 2020
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This is Not Normal
In 1976, the Senate named an office building for Michigan Senator Philip Hart. Above the entrance to that building are words written by his colleagues who praised Hart for being… “A man of incorruptible integrity and personal courage strengthened by inner grace and outer gentleness. …He advanced the cause of human justice, promoted the welfare of the common man and...
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October 13, 2020
Featured image for “Contagion in Chief”
Contagion in Chief
I don’t know about you, but I am spent – emotionally, psychologically spent from everything Trump does, declares, defies, defiles, denies and doublebacks. For nearly four years, the country has endured Trump’s erratic autocracy from name-calling to pulling out of treaties; from Twitter rants to his recent doublebacks on a stimulus plan. He’s gone from fawning over administration appointments to...
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October 12, 2020
Featured image for “Truth, Context, Perspective”
Truth, Context, Perspective
For more than two decades, Fox News anchor Shepard Smith reported the events of the day without fear, favor or attacks from President Trump and the network’s opinionistas. Nonetheless, Smith shocked his colleagues a year ago when he ended his broadcast to announce his departure. “Gathering and reporting the news has been my life’s work… FOX has allowed me to...
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October 9, 2020
Featured image for “The Height of Irresponsibility”
The Height of Irresponsibility
Will return to commentary central on Friday. “Are you worried about getting it? “No.” “Why not?” “I don’t know.” – Reporter Bob Woodward asking President Trump if he’s worried about getting the coronavirus. After the president was diagnosed with Covid-19 — a virus that has claimed more than 209,000 American lives —  » Read more about: The Height of Irresponsibility  »...
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October 5, 2020