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Republicans Are In A Pickle, A Very Sour One
One fact struck me this weekend as the No Kings rallies garnered huge turnouts nationwide. Not only were the rallies aimed at underscoring the need to strengthen democratic institutions, rejecting authoritarianism, and denouncing the Iran War, but they happened everywhere. They were held in all 50 states. They were held in every congressional district, including… Continue reading
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Book Journey Through History
Every summer, since the mid-1990s, I have selected a topic to read and explore. One year, it was Catherine the Great, then Russian history, and another year, Mao Zedong consumed my attention. This year, I am not sure which direction to head. So, over the past couple of weeks, I have spent time on the… Continue reading
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Dean Richards: A Chicago Voice We Counted On
On this blustery Saturday, when a heavy coat is needed when walking outside, I sit at my desk to write what I hope will be a warm column about Dean Richards. This is one of those pieces that are from a list of topics needing a comment or two, but get left behind, given the… Continue reading
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New Doty Land Podcast: Historical Nuggets With Thomas Jefferson, Harry Truman, And Teddy Roosevelt
Quick and memorable historical stories with high production values. Bipartisanship comes alive with Harry Truman and Arthur Vandenberg; Thomas Jefferson wants Italian musicians in our military band; and Teddy Roosevelt skinny-dips in the Potomac River. Gregory Humphrey makes the past witty and interesting. Continue reading
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Would We Begrudge Melania Trump Outsourcing Her “Eiffel Duties”?
I need not write that she is the most unrelatable First Lady this nation has ever had. Having said that, however, she could make a move that would allow us to consider her at least remotely human if she explored the possibility of hiring a robot to handle her “Eiffel duties”. I can see Melania… Continue reading
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Farmers Take Hit As Trump’s Iran War Increases Financial Obstacles
Farmers have taken it on the chin since Donald Trump was sworn into office in January 2025. First, it was the tariffs, which are the economic equivalent of applying leeches to a sick patient. Now the escalating war against Iran, which has closed the Strait of Hormuz, is spreading troubling economic consequences, ranging from increased… Continue reading
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Why USAID’s Role Matters More Than Ever As Trump’s Iran War Escalates
The severe consequences of Donald Trump’s callous disregard for sound governance are front and center. Every day in multiple ways. One of the international efforts he destroyed was the U.S. Agency for International Development, commonly referred to as USAID. It was the primary U.S. government agency leading international development and humanitarian aid, aimed at ending… Continue reading
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Chaos In The Republic: What President McKinley’s Assassination Revealed About A Fractured America
Eric Rauchway’s Murdering McKinley situates the assassination of President William McKinley within a nation deeply divided by the forces of industrial capitalism. I probably did not need to pull another book from the shelves this weekend, but I was in the mood for something different, so the slim volume of just over 200 pages fell… Continue reading
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Trump Supporters Are Even More Stupid After Watching FOX News
If you only watch Fox News, you simply are not an informed citizen. For many years, I have stated that Fox News frequently distorts information in ways that leave conservative viewers with an incomplete and highly misleading understanding of current events. Over time, I have commented on the patterns in which their commentary is presented… Continue reading
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It’s Absurd That We Even ‘Need’ a Court Ruling on Birthright Citizenship
There are moments in a nation’s political life that reveal not just disagreement, but decay. On the first day of Donald Trump’s second term, he signed an executive order on birthright citizenship declaring that some children whose parents are here illegally or temporarily, such as certain visa holders, are not American citizens. This is not a legally… Continue reading
