WASHINGTON -- "A little learning is a dangerous thing," wrote the poet Alexander Pope. Three centuries later, Pope's aphorism perfectly -- and dangerously -- describes President Trump's understanding of history as a zero-sum clash of civilizations in which "the West" can triumph by imposing its will. The speech Trump delivered Thursday in Warsaw's Krasinski Square might have … [Read more...] about In his puzzling speech in Poland, Trump addressed an alternative world
First Trump-Putin meeting prompts G20 relief
The hotly anticipated meeting between President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin brought relief to the other G20 summiteers because it did not sink into a vituperative “she said, he said, they said” exhibition of macho pugilism. Instead, it was a cool-headed encounter that went far beyond its allocated time and seemed so engrossing that even Melania Trump failed to … [Read more...] about First Trump-Putin meeting prompts G20 relief
Poli-Takes: The Rattling of the Cages (Road to 2018 Takes Shape)
Summers during off-election years are typically when potential candidates began finalizing plans about launching, or declining Congressional bids and, putting aside the fact that recruitment and announcements really haven’t paused since Donald Trump’s election as our 45th president, this year is no exception. Asuch, this past week has seen a plethora of announcements on both … [Read more...] about Poli-Takes: The Rattling of the Cages (Road to 2018 Takes Shape)
Trump’s Media Flunky Thought He ‘Walked on Water’
With Trump on foreign soil attacking the free and independent press (CNN "has been faking news for a long time," while NBC "is equally bad"), I'm recommending that you read The New Yorker's richly-detailed article about The National Enquirer. It's a cautionary primer on how Trump thinks the press should cover him, and how press lords should behave toward him. I'll give you … [Read more...] about Trump’s Media Flunky Thought He ‘Walked on Water’
Cartoon: Trump Meets Putin
Trump takes us to unexplored territory
by Michael Gerson Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- It is sometimes argued that the media should spend less time on President Trump's transgressive tweets in order to devote more attention to real issues such as North Korea. In fact, it is necessary to focus on Trump's tweets precisely because they shed light on the mind that is doing the deciding on … [Read more...] about Trump takes us to unexplored territory
Trump causing G20 concern but is not isolated yet
Many in America and Europe may be disappointed if they prefer to see President Donald Trump isolated at the G-20 summit that opened in Hamburg today. He is not isolated even on climate change and has begun to divide Europeans into factions with usual insouciance for being politically correct. No country in the so far 28-nation European Union is for Trump but some are … [Read more...] about Trump causing G20 concern but is not isolated yet
America’s Political Center – Part 2
Part 1 of this topic ends with a question: Just what are the moderates who are in America's political center? A correct description of America’s political moderates are in the writings of moderates Rick Bayan, Steven Merritt Seibert and Charles Wheelan. In An Open Letter to Moderates, Bayan writes the following: “Dear Moderates: Extremists to the right of us, … [Read more...] about America’s Political Center – Part 2
When Donald Meets Vladimir, The Russians Will Hold All The Cards
When Donald Trump meets Vladimir Putin on Friday for the first time since the Russian president's brilliantly successful plot to hand the 2016 presidential election to him, only one of them will have an agenda, and it sure isn't the ignoramus who has been occupying the Oval Office for the last five months. While White House officials acknowledge that Trump has no agenda … [Read more...] about When Donald Meets Vladimir, The Russians Will Hold All The Cards
Spider-Man: Homecoming review
I can't remember the last time I fell this hard for a film. I like most movies but I fell head-over-heels for Spider-Man: Homecoming. It's a film full of joy. When the credits rolled, I almost felt the same way I do after watching The Sound of Music - uplifted and ... joyous. Vulture Michael Keaton is a big reason why I love this film. Every great movie needs a … [Read more...] about Spider-Man: Homecoming review
Republicans and Democrats Pushing Back Against Trump
By John L. Micek Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf hit the nail on the head last week when he refused to play along with the Trump administration's invasive and unwarranted request for unfettered access to his state's voter rolls. "The right to vote is absolute and I have no confidence that you seek to bolster it," Wolf, a Democrat, wrote to Kris Kobach, vice chairman of … [Read more...] about Republicans and Democrats Pushing Back Against Trump
‘Assassin’s Screed’, or Why Ted Nugent Fears Me Part ii.
UPDATED BELOW This is part ii. Part i is here. Our Story So Far: July 3, 2007, Ted Nugent writes a vicious screed tossing the entire "60s" generation on the bonfire of his own vanity. I respond on July 3. Joe Farah's scrofulous WorldNetDaily anonymously attacks me for "waxing my eloquence." "As a die-hard musician, I terribly miss these very talented people who … [Read more...] about ‘Assassin’s Screed’, or Why Ted Nugent Fears Me Part ii.
Punch-drunk Trump (Guest Voice)
by Kathleen Parker Washington Post Writers Group WASHINGTON -- As the nation was preparing to celebrate its storied independence from the British crown, the president secured his place as history's greatest jester. Or America's first toddler president. Take your pick. Trump did so by tweeting a doctored video clip of himself from several years ago in which he takes … [Read more...] about Punch-drunk Trump (Guest Voice)
America’s Political Center – Part 1
In a 09/01/1996 article for the Brookings Institution, Sarah A. Binder writes, “In a political system that demands compromise and accommodation to bring about change, the center is considered vital to the moderate, bipartisan public policymaking generally preferred by the American public. Absent a political center, increased partisanship and ideological polarization are … [Read more...] about America’s Political Center – Part 1
An Essential Piece Of The Russia Scandal Falls Into Place From Beyond The Grave
THE INTERMEDIARY, THE OPERATIVE AND THE PRESIDENT Peter W. Smith was a longtime operative in the alternate universe occupied by Bill and Hillary Clinton haters, and at the height of the 2016 presidential campaign, the holy grail and ultimate gotcha in their relentless decades-long effort to smear the former president and his wife had become the 30,000 emails that apparently … [Read more...] about An Essential Piece Of The Russia Scandal Falls Into Place From Beyond The Grave
A Frat Boy In The White House
It didn’t seem possible a few years ago, but now it’s happened. Against all odds, America has a seventy-one year old frat boy in the White House. (This statement is probably demeaning to fraternity members.) Instead of spending time learning about how government works and what he can do to make it more efficient and more helpful for the nation’s citizens, the president spews … [Read more...] about A Frat Boy In The White House
Civis Americanus Sum
In ancient times the strongest words a person could utter was “Civis Romanus sum” or “I am a Roman citizen”. You could, according to legend, walk the length and breadth of the known world protected only by those words. People would refrain from harming you simply because they knew if the smallest harm came to you that the response of your government would be swift, sure, and in … [Read more...] about Civis Americanus Sum
This hothouse flower will wilt, but the star-spangled banner will yet wave
WASHINGTON -- The signers of the Declaration of Independence were highly imperfect men. Thomas Jefferson and his fellow Southerners were rank hypocrites for declaring "all men are created equal" while owning men, women and children as their slaves. John Adams was sour and disputatious, and later as president would sign the Sedition Act outlawing criticism of the government. … [Read more...] about This hothouse flower will wilt, but the star-spangled banner will yet wave
‘Assassin’s Screed’, or Why Ted Nugent Fears Me Part i.
No: this is exactly what they did to Clinton, and if we allow it, they’ll steal another legitimately elected presidency. Did you know that less than HALF of Obama’s top appointees are in office yet? The GOP strategy is to completely stymie the art and practice of governance until they can (they hope) retake the government by WHATEVER means, and you who were born before the 2000 … [Read more...] about ‘Assassin’s Screed’, or Why Ted Nugent Fears Me Part i.
Cartoon: Trump and July 4th
Copyright 2017 David Donar. All rights reserved.Copyright Donar, Political Graffiti … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Trump and July 4th