Politics and Government Archives

How About Some Friday Leftovers?

By Bill Clontz March 27, 2020 March 27, 2020 1 Comment

Let’s Chat for a Minute NOT about any Viruses or Politics

How does that sound for a change of pace? Neither topic will be gone for long, but let’s take a short break.

As usual, I have a ton of interesting points, articles, etc. that I enjoy sharing with you, but of late could not justify the use of space. Too much of importance going on. But that will be the case probably every day from now until – oh, let’s say November 3 (just to pick a random date, you know).

So much has been put into the leftover bin,

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Covid-19: Three Non-medical Problems to Solve

By Bill Clontz March 24, 2020 March 24, 2020 Leave a Comment

We Have The Tools. Two Problems Could Be Solved Easily. The Last One – Not So Much

The COVID-19 national crisis is one bad news story after another, as we all recognize. But the situation contains two problems that could be easily solved. We need only the will to do so.

Corruption Writ Large

The first of these is illustrated by the financial scandal around Senator Richard Burr and others. They apparently used insider information from official briefings for personal gain. They sold massive amounts of stock.

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All of the Bad News is Real. But There is Some Good News

By Bill Clontz March 20, 2020 March 20, 2020 1 Comment

The Corona Virus Has Legions More News to Come. But Not All of It is Bad.

In the Age of the Corona Virus

By now, we are all feeling saturated with talk of the Corona virus. It seems to permeate everything, and we are just beginning to deal with this. We have some long days ahead. As with any major effect like this, there are side effects and spinoffs. Some of them are actually good things.

None of this outweighs the pain and misery of a pandemic. The slow start and remarkable missteps of the Trump administration are going to harvest a bitter fruit.

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Government’s Mission and a President’s Role in a Time of Crisis

By Bill Clontz March 15, 2020 March 17, 2020 2 Comments

There are few fundamentals of what we expect from government and presidents.
The current team has failed them all.

Surprise!

I have written often that at some point a transformative crisis would hit the Trump administration. They would fail to meet it, with disastrous consequences. I felt that way from the first year of the administration and noted it early on at the start of this publication. I expected it would be something in national security that came calling. Perhaps a military conflict with China in the Pacific or a major terrorist incident. I did not see a virus as the precipitating event.

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A Quick Tour of Economic Issues We Should Watch Now

By Bill Clontz March 12, 2020 March 13, 2020 2 Comments

In a Year of Elections and of the Corona Virus, We Should Pay Attention to These Issues

Elections always bring economic issues to the forefront. These are often the issues that most separate candidates and their voters. So it is this year. But we have a new shadow stalking us at present. That is, of course, the Corona virus. We still don’t even know what we don’t know about this menace, but we can already see economic factors that must be taken into account, even as they take shape.

Here are a few of the economic big-ticket items we should be focused on at this time,

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Everyone Looks Better Walking Out the Door

By Bill Clontz March 5, 2020 March 6, 2020 Leave a Comment

Four Valuable Lessons Going Forward from Super Tuesday

Well, it is possible that America has seen more political changes in so short a time at some other period. But from Saturday night in South Carolina through Super Tuesday and a couple of days more, this beats anything I have ever seen. Even the Talking Heads on TV were reluctant to commit to anything. They feared they may be proven wrong in the next 30 minutes.

Lots of things to reflect on, for sure. And the drama is far from over. We have some big,

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Enough Pundits for A While- Let Us Reflect

By Bill Clontz February 29, 2020 March 3, 2020 4 Comments

Today is Super Tuesday. So much is on the Line. You Don’t Need More Opinion

By the time today ends, more than a dozen states will have had their primaries. More than one-third of the delegates for the national conventions will have been allocated. It’s a turn the corner day.

Let us hope for a good run for our better angels.

Given all that, it occurs to me that the last thing any of us need today, including you, dear reader, is yet another advice/opinion column. So, today I offer only my best wishes to all and encouragement to be thoughtful if today is the day you vote.

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The Democrats See 3 Doors Ahead. Maybe 5! Which to Choose?

By Bill Clontz February 23, 2020 February 25, 2020 3 Comments

The Media Has Some Doors of Its Own to Choose, Too.

You might recall that a few weeks ago, I noted that what seemed like an interminable primary process would soon hurdle forward at great speed. Buckle your seatbelts. Here we are.

Things are happening pretty fast now. There is much talk about momentum, at least some of which seems overblown. But by the end of the first week of March, a lot will be settled. That is less than two weeks away.

What Door to Walk Through?

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Well, THAT Was a Different Debate

By Bill Clontz February 20, 2020 February 21, 2020 3 Comments

What Changed? What Did We Learn?

We Who are About to Die Salute You

The 9th Democratic Presidential Debate held in Las Vegas was quite different. It had a manageable number of candidates (six), so more time for direct candidates’ cross talk. Mike Bloomberg had his first round in such a forum. The knives were out pretty much all around. So much for playing nicely with each other.

For a minute there, I thought I was watching a replay of a Sharks vs Jets scene from West Side Story. And over it all, the omnipresent shadow of the clock – we are in the stage wherein things begin moving quickly.

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