Issues
Stumbles and Struts
Hamas slaughtered Israelis, anger shot across the internet – Biden said he ‘had Israel’s back.’ Israel bombed Gaza, civilians died, Biden said he wanted to give Gaza $100 million. Nursing an old grievance, after Hamas attacked Israel Trump mocked Netanyahu, called Hezbollah ‘very smart’ – that backfired. About facing Trump said he stood 100% with…
Read MoreTrump on Abortion
Years ago the Supreme Court made abortion legal – after that there were no limits on abortion the first trimester (12 weeks) of pregnancy, some limits on abortion in the second trimester, and, in the third trimester states could prohibit abortions. Back then conservatives, believing a fetus was a living being, called themselves ‘pro-life,’ said…
Read More10 O’clock on Election Night
On Meet the Press Trump told Kristen Welker there were lawyers in his administration, and lawyers in his campaign, who told him the ‘election wasn’t stolen’ – but then Trump added, he knew personally, the election was stolen at ‘10 o’clock on election night.’ Now stop and think about that for a moment: At 10…
Read MoreThe Inescapable Issue
Powers beyond our control, breeding crises no one saw coming, have changed politics in the blink of an eye: Pearl Harbor did that. So did 9/11. And Covid. The ‘unexpected’ makes predicting the outcome of an election a year away risky business. For all we know Putin may invade Poland next. Or Kim Jong Un…
Read MoreChanging Sexes
I read the story on the front page of the newspaper: A four-year-old girl told her parents she wanted to be a boy. Her parents said no. Angry, the child threw fits, hyperventilating. Her mother searched for the words ‘gender identity’ on the internet, talked with therapists, doctors. A year later her family, starting down…
Read MoreA State-Owned Healthcare Monopoly
For years Republicans believed free markets – not monopolies, not government – cured problems. It seems those days are past. UNC Healthcare – which owns hospitals and medical clinics across North Carolina – is controlled, owned, and subsidized by state government. And the State Senate just passed a bill to exempt it from anti-trust laws.…
Read MoreAbandoning Faith
A Gothic church built in the 19th century turned into a skateboard park in the 21st century. Every year thousands of churches shut down, end up being apartments, parks, demolished. At the end of the 20th century 62% of Americans said religion was very important to them – twenty three years later, in the 21st…
Read MoreAbortion
When the Supreme Court made abortion legal – five decades ago – liberals thought, It’s a woman’s body – she has a right to decide whether to have an abortion. Conservatives, grimacing, saw abortion as taking an innocent life. To them, it was a choice between right and wrong. And protecting an innocent life was…
Read MoreHunter Biden
Tammany Hall’s roots go all the way back to Aaron Burr. Once, years after Burr, a Tammany Hall boss boasted, ‘Honest graft made me rich.’ It’s a story as old as our Republic: A politician lands in Congress, learns dishonest graft lands him in jail but honest graft – ‘influence peddling’ – is no crime.…
Read MoreNo Small Thing
My doctor used to be in a family practice owned by doctors. Then, I’m not sure how, the practice became part of UNC Health Care. It was like they told my doctor, You have to see a patient every twenty minutes. Now, wham, bam, thank you ma’am – you’re in and out. I told a…
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