history
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Humphrey History Minute: Mirza Saleh, A Persian With The Love Of Learning
If you want an uplifting, quick slice of history, here it is. I encountered this story today, and must share it with others. Continue reading
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Black History Vital To Understanding The American Story
I read the following segment in Empire of Liberty by David Reynolds and took a photo of a few paragraphs. It is a telling reminder of what our past looked like, felt like, and was like. This account follows the outbreak of World War II. I had copied that historical nugget and kept it in… Continue reading
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Trump Scandals Fit 150-Year Trend Of Republicans In White House
A woman walking in front of our home today stopped to chat about spring-like weather, and of course, the state of the nation. She had noticed several American flags flying upside down. I told her of many flags seen in a similar fashion across Madison over recent weeks. We agreed that what is playing out… Continue reading
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Living The Imperial Presidency In 2026
Arthur Schlesinger Jr.’s The Imperial Presidency was designed to be a warning flare fired across the bow of American democracy, but revisiting it as the new year started in light of Donald Trump’s actions gives it an even sharper edge. I first read this book when living in Sturgeon Bay, during President Reagan’s second term.… Continue reading
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Are We Still Uncertain Why Character And Leadership Matter In The Oval Office?
Last week, Donald Trump’s decision to amplify a grotesque and racist depiction of Barack and Michelle Obama was only the latest crude and offensive action taken by someone we are told to regard as the leader of the free world. Historians and social commentators will undoubtedly study this era for decades, trying to understand how… Continue reading
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Nation Cannot Survive At Shallow End Of Swimming Pool
Somewhere between rereading The Imperial Presidency by Arthur Schlesinger and the daily newspapers, I have been trying to place the lessons of the past into the constant absurdity and irrationality of the present. I am not sure I am making headway in my thinking, but I want to share where I am as of today.… Continue reading
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President John Kennedy’s Values vs. Gross Spectacle Of Donald Trump
The repulsive feelings we have for what is happening to our nation, and our utter disgust with those who allowed this to happen in 2024, go without my needing to write it here. It also goes without my needing to write that Donald Trump’s supporters were likely never aware of President-elect John F. Kennedy’s City… Continue reading
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1929: Greed Creates Public Crisis, Andrew Sorkin’s Masterpiece
As the New Year unfolds, I am reminded of how I wish to spend a chunk of my time in the next 360 days. Reading great books. Recently, I wrote rarely do I read a newly published book. My shelves and current book pile are filled with slices of history published many years and decades… Continue reading
Caffeinated Politics 