(Political Ramblings from a Little Left of Center)
During my recent absence from this blog, I’ve been regularly asked why I haven’t weighed in on numerous issues. I do sincerely appreciate that others might be interested in my humble thoughts – and I hope that this long post doesn’t negate that interest. While I am certainly capable of unadulterated rants, I do prefer…
In preparation for a recent meeting with my financial advisor, I had to do a little research. While most of that research was irrelevant to a political blog, one big economic topic we discussed was more than relevant: the looming U.S. debt limit. In this case, the politics is personal. What Congress does with the…
I’ve never had so many readers ask me to weigh in on any one issue. Interesting. I’ve been reluctant to post about the on-going House drama since (a) I’m not sure how useful it is for yet another voice to narrate this circus and (b) I’m still unsure how and when the clowns go home. …
We spent 2022 consumed with multiple criminal investigations involving a former U.S. President, an insurrection at the U.S. Capital, consequential mid-term elections, the demise of Roe v. Wade, a surge of inflation, a resurgence of COVID, the war in Ukraine, another major school shooting, etc. We’re starting 2023 with complete dysfunction in the U.S. House…
Oh, great. What 2022 needs is yet another opinion piece noting that our current political environment is polarized. “Hey! Have you noticed that water is wet?” My end-of-year variation on this well-worn theme will be to first make a few observations and to then pose a serious question to my readers who reside somewhere to…
My previous post on the lame-duck Congress omitted a couple of very important priorities. Both can be accomplished without the Senate and without the dedication of high-value time on the House floor. House Democrats and their staffs will need to work overtime, but both of these issues can be handled entirely in House committees. Finishing…
The 117th Congress ends on January 3, 2023 and Republicans will thereafter control the House. Democrats do still have a lame-duck opportunity to move some legislation, but their timeframe is quite limited. The remaining calendar not only contains the holiday season but also includes the political distraction of the Georgia Senate runoff and a surfeit…
I was recently asked my opinion on ranked choice voting (RCV). While I think it’s a great idea, I wasn’t sure it was a great blog topic. However, after some research and several conversations with friends, I’ve learned a few things: Many people have never heard of RCV. Some people have heard of RCV but…
Recently, the DHS Office of the Inspector General, the January 6 House committee, the National Archives, and likely the Department of Justice requested Secret Service text messages from around the time of the rioters’ attack on the US Capitol. It’s a reasonable request. Secret Service agents would have had front row seats to all relevant…
After a few thoroughly depressing posts heralding the End of The American Experiment, I sat down to contemplate how we could possibly survive the sweltering venom of the boiling witches’ brew in Washington, DC. “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble.” Unfortunately, in our 21st century American version of a 17th century…