National Republicans
A Picture of Politics Today
Growing up in Brooklyn, after college she worked two years in New York City, then went to law school – working for Ken Starr during the Clinton scandal she deposed Monica Lewinsky. She married, settling in Portland – George Bush made her a U.S. Attorney. Dark-haired, practical, leading prosecutors, sitting in courtrooms she made it…
Read MoreA Raid
An old man sitting at home in his apartment at night heard explosions, voices shouting in the hallway; soldiers wearing combat fatigues broke down his door, surrounded him, handcuffed him using zip-ties – only it turned out they weren’t soldiers they were ICE agents. He told them he was an American citizen – puzzled, asked…
Read MoreMAGA Golf
A reader, an avid golfer, was struck by the boorish behavior of American fans at last weekend’s Ryder Cup – and what it says about Trump’s America. He wrote, “I’m surprised no one has commented (at least that I’ve seen) on the embarrassing Ryder Cup debacle from the perspective of what it reveals about the…
Read More1884
‘There is nothing new under the sun.’ Was Solomon right when he said that? Does history repeat itself? After ruling Washington for a generation, from the Civil War through the Gilded Age, in 1884 Republicans ran James Blaine – the epitome of a Washington insider – for President. Democrat Grover Cleveland grabbed an issue he…
Read MoreWho Expected to See This?
It came as a surprise. Followed by another surprise. Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social the FBI had placed 274 agents in the crowd on January 6 who were ‘probably acting as agitators and insurrectionists’ – laying the blame for the riot on the FBI. What happened next was a bigger surprise: The same day,…
Read MoreRevenge
A gunman wearing a ski mask, a pistol in his hand, kicked down the door, broke into his home. He was sixteen, home alone, with his younger brother. Pinning the brother to the floor, knee in the middle of his back, putting the gun to the brother’s ear, the gunman stared across the room at…
Read MoreSunday in America
The headlines were ugly Sunday. “Three killed and five injured in mass shooting in Southport.” “Four killed, eight injured in shooting and fire at Michigan church.” That came after Charlie Kirk’s murder and threats of violent retribution. Sunday night, there was a welcome voice of peace and sanity. On 60 Minutes, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox…
Read MoreTwo Presidents, Two Myths
Two myths told by two Presidents have defined American politics for 60 years. It’s time to retire both myths. Lyndon Johnson’s myth was that the federal government would give us the “Great Society” – banishing poverty, ensuring old-age security and giving every child a great education. Ronald Reagan’s myth was that “government isn’t the solution,…
Read MoreA Touch of Politeness
After taking our order the waitress, a plain-faced country woman with a gimp knee, limped toward the kitchen. David, a retired lawyer, sitting beside his son-in-law Kevin, leaning back, staring across the table at me, half laughed. “I’m sad to say Kevin’s got his foot in politics.” Round face, jaw set, Kevin grinned. “Can you…
Read MoreThe Past Isn’t Dead
A court upended Trump’s tariffs – Trump said losing tariffs would land us in a great depression. Look back at history: In 1930 to stop ‘The Great Depression’ Republicans passed tariffs; the economy plummeted, unemployment rose to 25%. Next Trump said the War Department changed its name to the Defense Department to ‘go woke.’ The…
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