Posted June 21, 2022in Morain
The deepening of political extremism in the United States grows increasingly more evident. Moderation and bipartisanship shrink as progressives and conservatives move toward their respective corners of the political spectrum. The center attracts fewer activists. It’s hard to predict what politics will be like in a few more years. I
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Posted June 14, 2022in Morain
This week’s Friday, June 17, is a red-letter day. One reason is that it’s my brother Bill’s birthday. Happy B-day ending in a zero, bro. You’ll never catch me. Another is that it’s Bunker Hill Day. On June 17, 1775, the British stormed American Revolutionary Army fortifications on Bunker Hill
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Posted June 07, 2022in Morain
The theme for this week’s column is “Be careful what you wish for.” Or maybe “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.” Either applies. Last fall the state of Texas enacted its fetal-heartbeat abortion ban, the strictest abortion ban in America at the time. The Texas Legislature
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Posted June 01, 2022in Morain
America is very good at mourning its victims of mass shootings. Should be — we get plenty of practice. Local, state and national leaders express their heartfelt condolences to the grieving survivors. Memorial flowers, messages and tokens of remembrance pile up at the site of the tragedy. Reporters interview suffering
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Posted May 24, 2022in Morain
This year’s Bell Tower Festival in Jefferson will be special. It’s the 43rd annual Festival, but that’s not anything out of the ordinary. The extra “secret sauce” this year is that 2022 is the 150th anniversary of Jefferson’s incorporation. So the Festival committee is adding numerous extras to make this
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Posted May 17, 2022in Morain
Appeals courts that sit as multi-member panels, including supreme courts, hear pleadings and legal arguments in public. But after those end, and the briefs are filed, the judges retire to their chambers to deliberate their decision in secret. Or “private,” if you prefer. No constitution requires that they close their
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Posted May 10, 2022in Morain
Millions of Americans are now focused on the issue of abortion, after someone leaked a first draft of the U.S. Supreme Court’s apparent decision to repeal the nation’s guarantee of a woman’s right to choose. The court is expected to issue its official ruling in June. If the leaked draft
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Posted May 05, 2022in Morain
Last Sunday, May 1, would have been my late brother Tom’s 75th birthday. He is much missed by his extended family members and many, many friends. Tom was blessed with many talents, among them an uncommon knack for creative writing. He also possessed a lifetime love for rhubarb. He combined
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Posted April 29, 2022in Morain
The nation has seen fit to tweak the original document as times and sentiments have changed. Are American political institutions strong enough to withstand the battering they’re taking today from power-hungry groups and authoritarian-driven individuals? I think so — but I’m not as certain as I used to be. The
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Posted April 29, 2022in Morain
Last Friday marked the 75th anniversary of one of the most signal days in the history of baseball – in fact, in the history of American professional sports, and in the history of civil rights. On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson stepped onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn as the first
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