China and Russia just wrapped up a week of joint military exercises with hundreds of ships and planes. This was “the latest in a recent slew of military exercises and joint patrols between Russia and China that come on the heels of vows from Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to tighten milit[...]
Archive for the ‘America’ Category
PHOTOGRAPHY: Unity
When Pearl Harbor was attacked in 1941, Americans came together to fight World War 2. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Americans came together again, and that event still unites us in a way that transcends politics. The photo below was taken on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, the day after the T[...]
Untangling the Arlington Cemetery controversy
Ceremonies honoring America’s war dead and other heroes are common, and politicians often participate, so why is Trump’s visit to Arlington last week stirring controversy? For starters, federal law prohibits using national cemeteries for political purposes. In addition, Arlington prohibi[...]
Is Kamala Harris leading a movement?
There’s talk in the air of Harris being a “movement” politician (I’ll get into what that is), of being a “hinge of history,” according to a Politico article here. That’s a concept usually associated with the term “transformative leader.” The real[...]
Trump economics vs. Harris economics
Americans entered the 2024 election season deeply frustrated with the economy despite abundant jobs, low unemployment, and no threat of recession. Most of their angst stemmed from inflation, but housing shortages and unaffordability also contributed. Meanwhile, consumers went on a post-pandemic spen[...]
Was American still held by Russia “stabbed in the back”?
It was a deal that took more than a year, and intense diplomatic effort, to put together. Russia exchanged 16 foreigners, mostly ordinary people, for 8 Russians who were spies, an assassin, and cybercriminals. It was a lopsided trade in Moscow’s favor, but the only way to bring the 16 detainees ho[...]
Why the GOP deserves to be called the “forced birth party”
Chuck Winder (photo, left; profile here) is a prominent Idaho GOP politician and real estate broker. Not long ago he said, “We complain that we don’t have enough service workers, we don’t have enough of this, we don’t have enough people to do this. Well, I think there’s a reason, it’s no[...]
America isn’t a “Christian nation”
Nor should it become one. We should remain a pluralistic society of many religions, and a land of religious liberty. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, known for his clenched-fist salute to January 6 rioters (photo, left), told a conservative group that “Christian nationalism founded American democracy”[...]
Is Satanism a religion?
For most people, “Satan” is “the Devil,” and synonymous with evil, so the mere word provokes visceral reactions. That being so, what reaction do you suppose a group calling themselves “Satanists” elicited from Florida’s governor when they proposed sending Sa[...]
Is crime out of control?
If crime is declining, which is what crime statistics say, why do so many Americans feel crime is out of control? I’ll be honest here: I feel that way, too, even though I know it’s unlikely I’ll be robbed or assaulted. But I vote according to what I think, not based on how I feel. [...]