A Promised Land

America as a Developing Country

Trial and Error

A Brief Democratic Kerfuffle. A Possible Republican Debacle.

A Jury of Our Peers

A Kerfuffle

That was fast. Five days after Donald Trump’s impeachment trial started, it ended on Saturday, as planned.

On Friday night, however, evidence from Republican Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler and other sources kicked off a last-minute kerfuffle over extending the trial. In the wake of Beutler’s earlier statements at a town hall, they confirmed to news outlets that, amidst the Capitol riot, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy had an expletive-laced shouting match over the phone with Trump. McCarthy urged presidential action to stop the attack; the president dismissively focused only on his political fortunes.

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Free at Last

Scattered thoughts, hopes and dreams, on a most memorable and emotional day.

Shared Sentiments

Lots of folks are sharing similar sentiments about inauguration day. A college friend emailed: “I can’t tell you how many people said to me today that it felt like the tension level just went down everywhere around them. I think we’ve all been living with the nerve endings on the outside of our bodies for four years  I look forward to better, healthier, more generous times.” Amen.

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The Rising

I’ll say a few things. An incredible video says it all.

Bruce Springsteen wrote “The Rising” in response to 9/11. Like many of his songs, its beauty lies in the ears of the beholder, its intent subject to interpretation.

While “The Rising” is clearly about 9/11, it’s also about so much more. Released in 2002, it’s timeless in the intense feelings it conveys. Yet it’s also rooted in each of the tense times and turning points it’s addressed in the years since then.

As we arise from the nightmare of the last four years, this is one of those times.

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A Case for Impeachment

And a counter to some counter-arguments.

As the world turns

That Was the Week That Was

Quite a week, eh? It’s hard to believe that just last Sunday so much talk was about Trump’s taped talk with Georgia’s secretary of state, while many of us eagerly awaited that state’s Senate elections.

That all seems like ancient history today, as Democrats are circulating a draft resolution to impeach Donald Trump for “incitement of insurrection.” Insurrection is “an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government.” Unless House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reverses course or something equally unexpected happens, the House of Representatives will impeach Trump this week.

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My Chat With a Conspiracist

And why he’s better than his would-be betters in the Senate's "Sedition Caucus."

Reliable Sources

Out in the Street

As I strolled down the main commercial drag of my new hometown of Benicia, California yesterday, a fellow offered me a small slip of paper and asked, “Do you know how the Chinese Communist Party stole the election? Check out the video from this paper.” The slip recommended a “Who’s Stealing America” documentary on the front and supposedly reliable news sources on the back.

The guy had a mask on, kept his social distance and seemed nice enough, so I engaged. Our chat went something like this:

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