"The Earth Itself is in Peril"

/

a comprehensive summary of The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump

Recently I was searching my Kindle to see what I might dig into next – perhaps an unfinished read or even a book I’d bought and forgotten about. Indeed! There was a book called The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump. I had no recollection of buying it, nor did I have any idea what it was about – except, of course, the obvious. Did it “call to me”? You bet it did! This was right at the time that Donald Trump was being inaugurated for the second time – January 2025 – and, yes, I was scared this time.

Read More

I Want My Vote to Count!

/

Hey! I want my vote for president to count. You too? I mean I want a system whereby, in our presidential election, every voter who casts a vote for Candidate A actually sees his or her vote go to Candidate A. Likewise, each vote cast for Candidate B by an eligible American voter goes directly to Candidate B. And we add them up, and that’s it: We have a winner, chosen directly by the people. I like that.

Read More

“Stand out... Believe in truth... Investigate!”

/

On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder

I can’t recall ever reading a simpler, clearer, more readable – but absolutely valuable – book than this one by Yale University history professor and revered, prolific author, Timothy Snyder. And, depending on how you feel about what lies ahead for our democracy, this powerful, easy read might be just what you’re looking for.

Read More

School Shootings Can be Stopped

/

Yesterday at 5:32 a.m. I was awakened by a text to my phone. It was our Superintendent of Schools, alerting all School Board members of a threatened school shooting that day at not one but two of our high schools. She’d been awakened at 3:30 a.m. and had started the planned, approved response, and now she felt it was time to bring us in. I let her know I’d be ready if I could help in any way, and then I went about my business with full faith in our administrative leaders and the Green Bay Police Department.

Read More

Cabinet Simplicity (8)

/

Tom Homan – on the straight and narrow

Well, my friends, this will not be a long treatise – nor will it meander. After the rather nauseating convolutions I’ve encountered while studying other picks for the incoming president’s cabinet, this one is as short and straight and simple as can be. Let me explain. I referred to my review of RFK, Jr.’s life as a roller coaster ride. And remember Tulsi Gabbard? I called her a shape-shifter. And what of Linda McMahon, a “professional wrestler” who never taught a day in her life, suddenly poised to direct the Department of Education. Lot of questionable choices, ups and downs, unforeseen hairpin turns. But nothing surprising about this Tom Homan, Border Czar-to be.

Read More

Key to the Cabinet

/

That Cabinet Again? (7)

/

Tulsi Gabbard – Shape-shifter

Of all the cabinet nominations by President-Elect Donald Trump that I’ve researched, the selection of Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence has been the most confusing. While I try in every case to be as even-handed as possible in presenting the facts about the nominee, in this case, the facts themselves are so contradictory and shape-shifting that I struggle to assemble them in logical fashion. Much of her background makes her an absolute puzzlement; other facts about her suggest (at least to me) that she doesn’t even fit the MAGA mold. Let me try to explain.

Read More

Cabinet Concerns (6)

/

Kristi Noem – Homeland Security??!

Well, I’ve spent hours researching Kristi Noem, current governor of South Dakota. After all, Secretary of Homeland Security is a critical leadership role. And this time, the process got turned on its head in a whole new way. As I learned about Noem, I couldn’t help but ask: What have our previous secretaries of this department been like? There haven’t been all that many – it all started after 9/11. So, let’s see if there’s a pattern, and how well she fits the pattern. OMG! What a decisive turn we’re now facing! Let me show you what I mean.

Read More

Cabinet for Conspiracy (5)

/

Kash Patel - Seriously, Donald?

“shadowy officials... overstepped boundaries...illegal surveillance... manipulated narratives... unscrupulous dealings... distorted intelligence... widespread corruption... take back the White House... remove the gangsters... a sinister cabal... defeat the Deep State...” Need I say more?

This is the fifth Trump cabinet pick I’ve researched. After each one, I think: “Okay, it’s going to calm down. The next one will be a seasoned, respected leader with expertise in a closely related field and demonstrated commitment to democracy for all Americans.” Dang! I just can’t get it right, and the Kash Patel story hasn’t made it any better.

Read More

The Cabinetry Continues (4)

/

Russ Vought – the (B)OMB guy

Well, now, it’s much easier to approach Mr. Trump’s pick for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) than the others. Why? Because the nominee himself wrote the book on OMB! That is to say, in Project 2025, he authored the plan for how the next conservative administration should handle OMB – and I’ve read Project 2025, so I simply need to review. Therefore, rather than begin with biographical information, as I usually do, let’s first have a quick summary of what Russ Vought prescribed in his little section of the 922-page mandate for leadership.

Read More