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Remind voters what this country is about

National Columnists

Reading commentary about the recent elections, I thought of an observation of Nobel prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. Feynman said, “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool.” That is, we must always be disciplined in looking at things as they are and not bend to the temptation to see them as we wish them to be. After the recent Democratic election sweep, we are hearing that there is unhappiness out there. But is this really news? Currently Gallup reports that 27% of the Americans are satisfied with the direction ...

Trump needs to focus on state of economy

National Columnists

Time is short for the Trump administration. Last week’s elections were a setback, but not a devastating one: New Jersey is still a blue state, and while Virginia went red four years ago, it’s been trending Democratic for more than a decade. Republicans also fared poorly in Pennsylvania, however, an all-important presidential battleground. Democrats even made inroads deep into the South, taking two state senate seats in Mississippi — ending a GOP supermajority — and picking up city council spots in South Carolina and Florida. With results like these, the Republicans’ ...

Fear stopped clock of American electorate

National Columnists

I once met a man who claimed to make up his mind who he wanted in presidential elections only after stepping into the voting booth. “Are you kidding me?” I asked, aghast. How could anyone, I marveled, not know who they were planning to vote for? What were they waiting for, a message from beyond the grave? “Yep,” the guy said, kind of shrugging with a laugh. The older I get, the more I think he’s the Everyman American Voter: ignorant and indifferent. In the wake of recent elections, I’ve read and heard plenty of crowing over the Democratic victories in ...

Finding meaning in increasingly digital world

National Columnists

As we are in what I like to call the seventh-inning stretch of the fall semester, my English composition students are preparing to write their final short essay on “Gen Z: Technology and Communication.” This is the topic where I feel my students are experts since, as Gen Zers, they are the first true digital-native generation. I had discussion groups in each class where students shared their viewpoints on how they deal with technology and communication primarily through social media, and I learned some interesting and insightful things from them. I provided them with questions ...

Can socialism ever be more than fad in America?

National Columnists

Socialism is making a comeback, according to friend and foe alike. A new poll suggests that a majority of registered voters don’t like capitalism. A Gallup poll in September also found that support for capitalism was slipping. A Data for Progress poll around the same time showed that — after asking some decidedly leading questions about democratic socialism — people liked democratic socialism. Still, Politico combined the results to declare: “Capitalism is out ... and socialism is in.” And just this week, a podcast dedicated a segment to explaining “How socialism got ...

Economy remains top political issue

National Columnists

Republicans are licking their wounds after this Tuesday’s ballot box defeats. But there is a lesson to be learned here. The various elections in New York City, New Jersey and Virginia, viewed collectively, reminded us yet again of a perennial political truth: Americans still care first and foremost about their wallets. Culture war-type issues often generate the most salacious headlines – and many of the Trump administration’s fights on these fronts, such as immigration enforcement and higher education reform, are just and necessary. Still, the economy remains the top political ...