The No Kings protests on October 18 drew millions of people to 2,700 different locations to voice their opposition to Trump’s increasingly dictatorial policies. Despite predictions by Sen. Ted Cruz and others, the protests were peaceful and civil. I doubt that Trump’s minions will allow that to continue because dictators don’t play fair. Every dictator…
In July, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz added his voice to the calls for censorship when he introduced the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act. The bill, he told Fox News, would allow the Department of Justice to prosecute those who fund protests “which may well turn into riots.” Interestingly,…
Since January, Americans have been subjected to a constant stream of erratic policies from the Trump Administration. Most commentators focus on the latest outrage and point out the contradictions, evasions, or misrepresentations in those policies. Rather than try to understand the rationale, or lack thereof, behind these policies, we should ask what erratic policies accomplish….
I am often asked how I get ideas for my writing. While ideas are generated several ways, the most common is the “standing orders” I have given my subconscious. In this context, a standing order is a permanent instruction I have given my subconscious. For example, one might have a standing order to lock the…
Since January, we have been subjected to a constant barrage of outrageous statements and actions from the Trump Administration. On the surface, these might seem like isolated events. In his new book, Dictator from Day One, Robert Tracinski provides a compelling argument that these events are part of a coordinated effort to consolidate power in…
The No Kings protests are organized to protest the authoritarian and increasingly dictatorial policies of the Trump Administration. This is a laudable purpose, but no kings is not enough. Tyranny comes in many forms, such as monarchy, socialism, communism, and fascism. Despite superficial differences, all forms of tyranny have one thing in common: the subjugation…
In announcing new tariffs on China, Evader-in-Chief Donald Trump again showed that he believes reality will conform to his wishes. Tariffs won’t make America great. They never have, and they never will. Contrary to Trump’s claims, trade does not occur between nations. America does not engage in trade with China or any other nation. Individual…
In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a report titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.” The report found that nearly half of American adults experience “measurable levels of loneliness.” This topic was discussed at a Jefferson Dinner I recently attended. Being a member of a community of people who share our interests, goals, or…
My first attempt at writing a novel was a disaster. My “thriller” wasn’t very thrilling. In fact, The Wolverine was a crappy novel, but I found value in the process of writing it. Prior to writing The Wolverine, my fiction writing was limited to short stories. Unsurprisingly, writing a novel is considerably more challenging than…
Many of my novels involve issues pertaining to race. Given the controversial nature of such issues, this can be challenging, particularly since I am a middle-aged white man. Some might claim that I am unqualified to write about racial issues because I am white. Such a claim is itself racist. The color of my skin…
Years ago, a friend asked me why I enjoyed writing fiction. Somewhat facetiously, I said that writing fiction wasn’t as restricted by reality as nonfiction. That statement was truer than I realized. The artist recreates reality in his vision of what is important and significant. It is in this sense that when I write fiction,…