Columnist.
In Greek mythology, sirens were beautiful creatures that lured sailors to their doom with their hypnotic voices. In Homer's epic, "The Odyssey," ships came to ruin on jagged reefs, following siren song, the pull of the beautiful voices so strong that the hero Odysseus, in order not to succumb, commanded that his crew lash him to the mast of his ship, and not untie him, until they were in safe waters.
Millennials and others of a certain age have not lived in a time when fidelity was universally valued and mostly supported by culture — though sometimes hypocritically — and its opposite was roundly condemned. There was even a time when a divorced person could not expect to become president, though plenty of married presidents managed to conduct clandestine affairs, often with the indulgence of the media.
What goes around comes around is one of life's undeniable truisms and never more than in the politics of Washington, D.C. (the "D.C." increasingly standing for dysfunctional city).
Tony Hall served in Congress for nearly 24 years, representing Ohio's 3rd District. The Democrat left in 2002 to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture, appointed by President George W. Bush.
In the aftermath of the debacle over the Republican effort to repeal and replace Obamacare, President Trump can learn a valuable lesson that will serve him well in the next battle over tax reform and other issues.
A rough translation of Maryland's state motto is "Strong Deeds, Gentle Words." In the case of a 14-year-old girl who was recently raped and sodomized in a restroom at Rockville High School by two males students, both immigrants, one facing a deportation hearing, that motto in practice has been reversed.
Readers of a certain age may recall ads for Ivory Soap, which claimed to be 99 and 44/100ths percent pure. If the soap could have reached 100 percent purity, the company would likely have made the claim.
President Trump presents his first budget to Congress today (Thursday). It is, as The Washington Post points out, "historic" because if adopted it would be the biggest contraction in the federal government since the end of World War II. Predictably, a Post story focuses on the number of federal workers it estimates could lose their jobs, rather than on whether those jobs and the programs associated with them are necessary.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to spend $1.4 billion of New York's resources to solve the persistent problem of poverty in central Brooklyn. If he wins legislative approval, Cuomo, a Democrat, intends to spend the money on affordable housing, job training, anti-violence programs, recreational space, even obesity.
Most Americans, I suspect, have the attitude that if the government is spying on someone there is probably a good reason. In the latest document dump by WikiLeaks, Julian Assange's outfit may cause some to rethink that premise.
While some polls can be manipulated to produce outcomes based on the bias of the polltakers, this one by CNBC seems to reflect what the stock market is telling us. According to the financial network's All-America Economic Survey for the fourth quarter, "the percentage of Americans who believe the economy will get better in the next year jumped an unprecedented 17 points to 42 percent, compared with before the election."
For Republicans who have been concerned that President Trump has not been specific about his policies and about where he wants to take the country, Tuesday night's address to Congress and the nation was a welcome relief. For liberals, however, it was a problem precisely because he offered specifics.
Before becoming a newspaper columnist I was a broadcast news reporter for local TV stations and occasionally appeared on the NBC radio and television networks. I have some experience at being on the receiving end of hostilities directed at the media.
Today, conservatism has become known in the eyes of many for what and who it is against, not what and who it is for. Yes, part of this is due to media stereotyping, but not all. Traditional conservatism has been a positive "we can do better," an inspiring and uplifting philosophy that motivates rather than denigrates.
The traditional media have decided not to take President Trump's insults lying down. After what may be the strongest — and to his supporters — most thrilling takedown of journalists by any president, Editor and Publisher magazine featured this headline: "Newspapers Aim to Ride 'Trump Bump' to Reach Readers, Advertisers."
American public school students fall well behind students around the world in math and science proficiency. This is not debatable.
What have you learned from the gauntlet you had to run to get here?
My wife of 51 years passed away last Saturday after a long battle against multiple health issues.
While the debate continues about when, how quickly and who will pay for a "wall" across America's southern border, at least one country known for its liberal politics is offering a lesson.
Since Donald Trump's election, the major media have been trying to figure out what they did wrong, given their fawning coverage of Hillary Clinton and their anti-Donald Trump stories. Didn't they help twice elect Barack Obama? Why didn't the formula work this time?
