As we gather to celebrate Independence Day, it’s a good time to reflect on how our most fundamental freedoms have served this nation well. It’s an even better time to think about what would happen if those liberties were taken away.
“The threats became much more specific, much more graphic, and included not just me by name but included members of my family…” This is how Al Schmidt, the former City Commissioner of Philadelphia and a Republican member of the election board, described the intimidation he faced during and after the 2020 election.
The Blonde (aka my wife Jennifer) and I were watching a not so good “made for TV movie” on Amazon Prime Video the other day because there was nothing on Dish (surprise). I like to read the reviews before we select something to watch and someone had made the comment that the movie we watched that was made in the 1970’s reminded them of “simpler times.” I get that. I can watch an old movie or television show and it makes me think life was easier at the time it was filmed. It looks like the Cleavers had it made along with the Brady Bunch. I’m not sure why we think like this because life in every decade is hard. I think our memories get foggy and we don’t always remember things the way they actually were.
The other day I read a quote that made me stop and take pause. It read, “Don’t ever work for someone you don’t want to become.” Now at first glance, it makes perfect sense. Some might read that and say to themselves, “Well, of course. That’s a no-brainer. I would never do that.” At closer inspection though, how many people do we all know who work for bosses or companies who exhibit qualities that are unbecoming or downright negative?
Why do you send your child to school—to learn how to read, or to learn how to march in gay pride parades? I can’t believe that in Texas, I have to ask this question. I couldn’t be more proud of the public schools in HD-10 and have chosen to send my kids to Midlothian ISD; which is providing a quality educating to students here that ranks “far above the state average in key measures of college and career readiness,” according to Great Schools, a nonprofit ranking agency.
How can we in good conscience celebrate Father’s Day in the middle of an epidemic of gun violence almost exclusively perpetuated by men? We can’t. There’ll be time enough for backyard barbeques once fathers take the lead in establishing “Dads Demand Action to Raise Healthy Boys,” following in the footsteps –a decade late – after “Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense,” launched the day following the mass murders at Sandy Hook.
When we decided to escape the blistering 98-degree South Carolina heat and head for the North Carolina mountains, we packed up our three pups, two of whom had just turned 9 months old. Within hours of arrival, one of them went missing.
Biden administration officials know they need to do something to contain China's growing economic influence in Asia. That something probably involves encouraging other, friendlier Asian countries to do more business with the United States rather than China. Unfortunately, the Biden team also thinks that the usual measures required to give these friends more access to the U.S. market -- such as cutting tariffs -- are too politically toxic.
Just when it seemed there was nothing left to criticize about the oft-maligned baby-boom generation, along comes David Gergen with a new book, "Hearts Touched with Fire: How Great Leaders Are Made," and the painful truth: It's time for boomers -- and some political folks who are even older -- to let go of the baton.
WASHINGTON -- Is today's Republican Party primarily a cult of personality or a seditious conspiracy? I can argue either side of that question. But it is clear that the GOP is no longer a political organization or movement in the traditional sense. And if Republican cultists and conspirators win power in November, voters have only ourselves to blame.