Category Archives: Commentary

Two cheers for Columbus

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Jim

Today is Columbus Day in the United States. But in Albuquerque it’s been re-named Indigenous Peoples Day to commemorate the struggles of Native Americans against genocidal invaders like good old Chris. What makes this a little odd is that about … Continue reading →

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Court did not go far enough

Posted on June 28, 2015 by Jim

As a long-time supporter of same-sex marriage, I was glad to see the Supreme Court rule in favor of nationwide marriage equality. But the decision missed an opportunity to resolve the issue once and for all. The court’s decision won’t … Continue reading →

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Bring back the draft?

Posted on June 11, 2015 by Jim

The idea of reinstating the military draft keeps popping up. Sometimes it’s anti-war reverse psychology: Politicians won’t start wars if their kids have to fight them. Others think it’s unfair that fewer than one percent of us actually fight America’s … Continue reading →

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Tough love for unions

Posted on March 29, 2015 by Jim

Unions are commemorating the 104th anniversary of a tragic factory fire that triggered an historic campaign for workplace safety. It’s a reminder that organized labor deserves credit for much of the workplace progress of the 20th century – and how … Continue reading →

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Where’s Adlai when we need him?

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Jim

I turned off the TV after the fourth negative political ad in two minutes and thought of Adlai Stevenson. Not many people still remember him: He died in 1965 after serving as governor of Illinois, running for president unsuccessfully in … Continue reading →

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When cops are Rambo and soldiers are Barney Fife

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Jim

One positive outcome of the race riots in Ferguson, MO, may be a fresh look at the over-militarization of law enforcement. It’s about time. Deployment of SWAT teams by local police departments has been increasing for decades, often unnecessarily and … Continue reading →

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The VA crisis: one veteran’s perspective

Posted on May 24, 2014 by Jim

I was dismayed to hear about widespread problems at Veterans Administration hospitals of veterans being denied medical care because of bureaucratic malfeasance. And I was a little surprised because my experience as a VA patient has been overwhelmingly positive. When … Continue reading →

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Climate change and hot air

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Jim

It’s official: Climate change has left the realm of science and is now a full-blown political ideology. That’s unfortunate because climate change is real, and there are some commonsense solutions that are likely to get lost in the political hysteria. … Continue reading →

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Politically incorrect solutions for practically everything

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Jim

How to stimulate the economy Since President Obama is unwilling to grow the economy by approving the Keystone Pipeline, increasing U.S. energy production or relaxing some of his new regulations on business, he should double down on his most successful … Continue reading →

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Owning your dream vacation

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Jim

Mexico is a great place to vacation if you’re aware of the hazards: Not the dodgy sanitation or drug cartels, but the timeshare salesmen. A timeshare is a vacation home, sort of. You purchase time at a resort, pay an … Continue reading →

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