Opinions

China’s Rise Hits a Wall

     Over the last decade or so, the tendency among China watchers has been to see China’s rise as an endless upward progression. Just as happened during the Cold War when the Soviet Union was viewed as a colossus that in fact had feet of clay, China’s economic and diplomatic successes are significant but often have been exaggerated, while its weaknesses have been ignored or underestimated. Only now, amidst bad news for China’s economy, have observers awakened to certain Chinese realities. […]

Opinions

One Day for Labor Day Is Not Enough

     The state of labor this year is so fraught, so weighted with issues and problems, that a single day of homage and reflection doesn’t seem enough. It’s as if a year or more is needed to engage the issues, challenges, and possibilities facing American workers today. Consider the following: […]

Opinions

Creating Art: If It’s Fun, It’s Alive

     So why do I care about art? Indeed, why now? As I grow older (by which I mean “old”), I refuse, refuse, refuse to retire: to quit writing, to quit believing I’m doing something that matters . . . to quit believing that humanity is collective and, at the deepest levels of our being, we all participate in this collective. This is what I call art, even though I don’t know what I mean by that. Or at least I don’t mean something that’s simple and certain, or even particularly serious — at least not in an academic sense. Serious can be fun. […]

Opinions

The Curse Of Pardoning Presidents

   The power of a president to issue pardons is derived from Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution: which stipulates: The president shall have power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for offenses against the United States, except in Cases of impeachment. Yet a president has unmitigated power to issue three distinct types of pardons: amnesty, commutation, and reprieve.  Pardoning Nixon literally cast an abominable curse on future presidents not held accountable for their crimes. […]

Opinions

Is it Right for White People to Break the Law?

     The legal system is set up for politicians, conglomerations, and public officials to operate with immunity, and otherwise is not subject to formal legal sanctions when they break the law. Most officials are aware that many times they violate the constitution, but because they are rich and White the issue is wiped under the rug. […]

Opinions

Ungodly Gender Identity School Policy

     In Maryland, the Prince George’s County Public Schools Board of Education believes in the biblical Proverb 22:6 which states, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old enough he will not depart from it.” That is why school officials were determined to implement a policy that trains a child to adopt and practice LGBTQIA+ behaviors at school, then helps the child hide their gender identity from parents. […]

Opinions

Why Not Jeb?

     Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida and a former candidate for President of the United States of America; was the only politician who called me after a car crash in Tallahassee resulted in me being rushed to a trauma center, placed in ICU, and treated for a brain injury. […]