Suing over executive orders: Politics as usual
*This is a cross-post from another blog, the Occasional Planet. There’s an adage that all politics is local. It makes a lot of sense; most issues are bread and butter ones that occur in the neighborhoods and the households where we live. But like all aphorisms, it’s not always true….
Dialogue with “right to work (for less)-ers”
I recently received a number of these postcards: I do not agree with their sentiments on this complex issue, but I felt that since the letter writers had exercised their rights as active citizens in a democracy, I owed them a response. Here is what I wrote: I appreciate the…
Medicare-for-All prevents Hobby Lobby fiascoes
So we hear that workers are beholden to employers. After all, in the private sector it is the “employers” who hire workers. But if the relationship is only between employer and employee and the employers are the bosses, then what protection do workers have against unreasonable, unfair, and just plain…
Confronted with big money from outside interests
Earlier this week I received a contribution of $50.50 from a family in Florida. I’m most appreciative of the generosity. Thanks so much to Tom Knight and family in Miami Shores, FL for the great donation. I will do my best to not be overly influenced by it.
Dialogue with Missouri pro-lifers
I recently received over forty of the following postcards: I do not agree with their sentiments on this complex issue, but I felt that since the letter writers had exercised their rights as active citizens in a democracy, I owed them a response. Here is what I wrote: I am…
Wagner supports Boehner frivolous lawsuit. I don’t.
Ann Wagner supports John Boehner’s frivolous effort to sue President Obama for “not faithfully executing the laws of our country.” Boehner and House Republicans say the President “has exceeded his constitutional authority through executive actions on a range of issues, from delays in the implementation of the healthcare law to…
Give her a break; it’s not easy to run for office in coal country
I’m a pretty good environmentalist who believes that in the macro sense, we can place strict environmental regulations on our energy companies and also create new jobs. We can move away from coal with its high concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and sulfur and accelerate our transition towards wind, solar,…
Mark Cuban chooses thought and reflection over piling on
I recently saw a revival of the great line that came out of the movie, Forest Gump. “Stupid is as stupid does.” The phrase can be a bit of a word game, but however one interprets it, the meaning certainly applies to the choice words about race uttered by Los…
Republicans are more charitable than Democrats and Europeans
This time of year it’s common for progressives to view Republicans as a bunch of Scrooges. But when it comes to charity, this simply is not true. Republicans are more generous in their charity giving than either Democrats in the United States or Europeans at large. As EthicsDaily.com reports, “Red…
Environment
As Americans, it is absolutely essential that we take all necessary steps to protect our environment. At the federal level, this means stronger regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and stricter enforcement of existing rules. There is considerable natural beauty in Missouri’s Second Congressional District and we must take…
Reproductive Health & Choice
Questions related to reproductive health, and most specifically abortion, are not easy to answer. Choice is the kind of issue that should humble us all and make us want to take all necessary steps to prevent unwanted pregnancies. In many ways, this issue reflects the ongoing dilemma we have in…
Free speech and free spending vs. fair elections: A Constitutional dilemma
So often we hear about our inherent rights to what is guaranteed in the Constitution. If it’s regarding free speech, we are entitled to say anything because the First Amendment protects us. If it’s about owning a gun, any of us can do so because the Second Amendment guarantees it….
It’s a different kind of campaign
Many registered voters choose to sit out elections in non-presidential years. These voters are often cynical about the process and skeptical of candidates. Here are reasons why this campaign is different and why occasional voters may have found a candidate they can strongly support: I’m only taking small campaign contributions,…
Affordable Care Act
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week on Hobby Lobby’s lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act’s employer mandate, requiring employers’ healthcare policies to cover the cost of contraceptive care. My hope is that the Supreme Court will turn down Hobby Lobby’s request. In my view, corporations are not people,…
