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On the Role of Government

It's been a while since the last time I posted, and a lot has happened that was worthy of a post. The number of things I never thought would be acceptable in politics but now seem to happen on a daily basis is mind-boggling, and worse, they have a numbing effect. My biggest fear is how we're dropping our bar as a nation and getting used to this new "junior high" governing style. So I took time off from the blog, as I often do when I feel myself falling into a more tribal state. Now here I am again to extend a hand to anyone willing to read with an open mind, and since there are many people more qualified than I am to dissect the pros and cons of legislation, I will not focus on that. What I want to write about is something that doesn't require you to be a scholar or an expert and that is human decency, ethics, leadership and all the ancient bits that are at the heart of politics. Let's call this Politics 101. I actually hold politics in high regard and conside...
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The Dangers of Making America Great Again

Things have been written before about the administration's slogan, “Make America Great Again”. In an interview with the Washington Post that was published in January, Trump described the thought process behind the slogan, which he trademarked in 2013.  He explains that he discarded the shorter version, “Make America Great” because, in his opinion, "that was a slight to America because that means it was never great before." The message resonated with many people.  It is not that “Make America Great Again” is successful in conveying a universal message. The fact that the slogan worked well with a particular demographic is a testament to its ambiguity. It is an invitation to assume that you and an elite developer from New York known for his showmanship share the same idea of what makes this country great.  It is not clear by which standards we declare greatness. The greatness part will be whatever you want it to be, and although caution dictates that we read the defi...
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American Values

American values are of a universal nature. Our belief in a right to individual freedom and our commitment to justice, the pursuit of happiness, and equality are the values that comprise the fabric of our nation. These values have found fertile ground in the minds of everyone who dreams of a better world for everyone. We share in common this spirit of progress and reason, which compels us to protect those who are most vulnerable, and it is also in this spirit that we must continue to move forward into the future. Some have forgotten this simple lesson. They are suspicious of anyone who does not look like them and assert that the beliefs of certain people are not compatible with American values. The values of this country are not found in how we dress, what we look like, our faith, or how we speak. The values of our country are found in our treatment of each other. They're reflected in our willingness to accept that even though we may not always agree with each other, as long as we ...
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