A PERSONAL TALE Believe it or not, I am a former National Rifle Association (NRA) member. I purchased a firearm while I was in Texas and got a year’s free membership, plus a really nice multitool with a rosewood handle. I purchased a firearm? Yes, I lived with spouse and dogs in a rural area literally crawling with a variety of poisonous snakes (bad for dogs, children, and two-legged creatures). I also got an NRA sticker for my back window. I put it there next to my OBAMA sticker and… Read more A FORMER NRA MEMBER CONFESSES →
Trump’s recent comment painting African nations as “shithole countries” has set off a wave of condemnation. Many claim to be shocked by his words. Where have they been? They are… Read more TRUMP OR US? →
Largely in response to the excesses of the McCarthy era, John Higham, a historian at Johns Hopkins wrote STRANGERS IN THE LAND: PATTERNS OF AMERICAN NATIVISM, 1860-1925 and published his… Read more BRUTAL AMERICAN NATIVISM REDUX →
The recent horror in Texas, the expected responses were quick in coming. From a county sheriff in Florida we get: “The only thing that stops a bad guy with… Read more The Proper Way to Think about “Good Guys with Guns” →
Let’s think about a bit of our history and our political culture of today. At one point in his march toward Richmond, General Grant visited the picket line of the… Read more ALL IS NOT QUIET ON THE FRONT →
Usually in politics and political or social commentary, a certain amount of decorum (deserved or not) is maintained. Rarely do we get down to the “raw truth” about a candidate,… Read more Republicans, Cruelty, Healthcare and Paul Krugman →
Why It Failed Try as they might and they tried mightily, the Republicans could not repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in spite of controlling the Senate,… Read more WHY REPEAL AND REPLACE OF ACA FAILED →
In 1965, Lyndon Johnson signed the bills authorizing both the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Unlike all the hyped “signings” of executive orders by the current president, Johnson signed real bills… Read more A Commentary on Changing the Structure of Medicaid →
