Category Archives: Commentary

Impeach the President. Please.

Posted on February 21, 2019 by Jim

It’s time for Congress to impeach President Trump. Democrats have been teasing us with impeachment porn for two years now. Congressmen claim to have evidence that’s “beyond circumstantial” that Trump colluded with Russia to steal the 2016 election but, inexplicably, … Continue reading →

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The rise and fall of objective journalism

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Jim

We keep hearing from the punditocracy that President Trump’s conflict with the news media is an existential threat to freedom of the press. I’m not buying it. Conflict between government and the press is rooted in American history. No one … Continue reading →

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Election entertainment

Posted on May 22, 2018 by Jim

The silly season is here again. New Mexico’s primary election is June 5 and it’s quite a show. Two of the state’s three Congressional representatives, a Democrat and a Republican, are running to replace a term-limited governor. This makes the … Continue reading →

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Lessons in disruption

Posted on November 3, 2017 by Jim

I’m a big fan of disruption. It’s an acquired taste. But because virtually everything is being disrupted these days, from groceries to government, it’s something we should learn to appreciate. We often cheer disruption from a safe distance because overturning … Continue reading →

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Columbus and my neighbors

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Jim

This is an updated version of a post from 2017. Columbus Day used to be a really boring holiday (unless you’re Italian). Now it’s nearly as controversial as, say, a football game, as a growing number of cities dump Christopher … Continue reading →

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Observations from Harvey

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Jim

I can’t stop watching TV coverage of Hurricane Harvey (and couldn’t avoid it if I wanted to). It’s simultaneously terrible, tragic and heartwarming. The good news us that we’re seeing a learning curve in responding to disasters after the missteps … Continue reading →

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Freedom of the press is alive and well

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Jim

We’re hearing solemn pronouncements from prominent journalists that the freedom of the press is under siege. I’m not concerned – yet – because all I’m seeing so far is mutual sniping between a partisan press and a new administration responding … Continue reading →

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Being a savvy news consumer

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Jim

We’re a nation of smart consumers. We kick the tires on a used car, check restaurant and hotel reviews on TripAdvisor and read food labels. Now we need to wear our consumer hats to follow the news. That’s because the … Continue reading →

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How to drain the swamp

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Jim

What’s most appealing about Donald Trump’s victory (with apologies to my friends who believe he’s the incarnation of evil) is the prospect of long-overdue government reform. His “drain the swamp” campaign pledge resonated because 75% of Americans believe there’s widespread … Continue reading →

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The national civics lesson

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Jim

Americans may be deeply divided by the 2016 presidential election, but we’re getting one helluva civics lesson. Until this year, most of us gave little thought to the Electoral College,  the Federalist Papers or even the Constitution. Now we’re getting … Continue reading →

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