a common sense approach to a liberal world
Being mindful of the uncertainty of it all I share my favorite parable.
A simple story bearing two thousand year-old roots and said to be of Taoist origin. I make no claim on its true beginning nor accuracy. I simply relay it to you as it was told to me.
You knew he had to come prepared. He had to be at his finest for this third and final debate. Sharp. Focused. In control. He looked slightly nervous at first – recognizing the significance of the moment – but he settled quickly and moved forward with purpose. He was thoughtful yet tough. Aggressive but not pushy. He maintained his poise and exhibited a certain dignity. He spoke when he should and knew when to stay quiet. Yes, Chris Wallace was truly excellent, just outstanding in every way. Oh yeah, Trump was there too. And Clinton.
How bad is it when the moderator is the star of the show? Chris Wallace was not only great, he highlighted how truly awful the prior moderators were.Continue Reading
Those who most want to rule others are least suited to do so.
It’s an old adage but one that rings particularly true right now. That and maybe the one about how power corrupts.
We are currently enduring two of the least popular, least liked and least trusted candidates we have ever seen. One, seemingly corrupt and a congenital liar and the other childish, boorish and unpredictable (I’ll leave it to you to figure out which is which). It’s embarrassing. And scary. And ugly.
It’s this ugliness that has me thinking about the future – specifically our nation’s future.Continue Reading
I woke up this morning to the “stunning” news that Trump was only 4 points behind Hillary according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. As an aside the WSJ’s web page headline reads Trump trails Hillary by 11 using a different – and possibly earlier poll – go figure. Either way, I didn’t find the news all that stunning.
Allow me to explain. For the entire campaign, the media has been reporting on Trump. Digging up whatever they could. And then came the news of Trump’s comments and the entire firestorm that ensued. In my personal opinion the media ended up far more frothy and lathered about this issue than did the general public – but that’s not the direct point I will be making – although it is connected.Continue Reading
When people find out what I did for a living I generally ready myself for The Most Frequently Asked Question – “Do you have any stock tips” (or some variant thereof).
My answer is boring. Really boring.
My first response is a question – how much do you have saved up in liquid assets – cash, money markets, savings accounts – for emergencies. Do you have enough liquidity to pay all your bills (rent, groceries, insurance, utilities, etc.) for 6-12 months. “Yes” means we can keep talking. “No” means go save some money. Now.
Assuming the answer was yes we then move on to a spirited discussion of Index Funds. This generally meets with some disappointment.Continue Reading
There is one over-arching issue that I’ve been almost singularly focused on.
The Supreme Court.
This institution shapes our national character more than any other – and its presence is felt far past any president’s time in office.Continue Reading
Trump has declared war on the GOP, The Department of Justice and the FBI. It all seems a bit much – over the top, hysterical and shrill. Desperate? Paranoid?
I certainly think it comes across that way and its not the tactics I would advise. But then I would have advised against so very much of what he’s done.
Who goes on a podium and says the Department of Justice and the FBI are corrupt? Continue Reading
This has been an election characterized by low emotions. We’ve all had almost visceral reactions to the tenor (and words) of the entire process.
The 2nd debate reignited those feelings. The attacks from both candidates were like nothing we’ve ever seen before. Trump threatened to appoint a special prosecutor to go after Clinton and Hillary came right out and stated that Donald was unfit to be president. And so much more. An amazing spectacle it was.
It feels wrong, cheapened somehow. Our presidential election should be better, nobler. Continue Reading
And, no, nothing was silent (apologies to Quentin Tarantino).
Wow. Just…wow.
Did someone get the license plate of the truck that hit Hillary?
I’m having trouble deciding if the release of Trump’s comments from 10 years ago was a terrible thing or a great thing for his campaign. I’m leaning towards the great side.Continue Reading
Do you remember when it was political suicide for a presidential candidate to admit he had smoked marijuana…even once? I do. We all knew deep down it was a lie but it didn’t really matter. Because our presidential candidates were supposed to be better than us, principled, educated, refined, pure even – leaders that had poise, charisma, intelligence, and a steady, calming presence.
We needed our potential leaders to be superior to us – not in a demeaning “I’m better than you” sense but in a “I’m here and everything is going to be better” sense. We needed leaders befitting the presidency of the greatest nation this world has ever seen. Continue Reading