Article II allows the president to grant pardons for any offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. The presidential pardon power is among the most absolute authorities granted in the Constitution, and President Donald Trump has abused it. It has been just over a year since Trump issued pardons to the 1500 […]
President Trump has abused the presidential pardon Read Post »
Legislation passed in 2025 evidences that we have evolved only slightly since the days of lords and serfs, when one class enjoyed wealth, and the other struggled. Before looking at examples, let’s look at the numbers. The U.S. Census Bureau reported the nation’s poverty rate in 2024—annual income of $31,812 for a family of four—was
Low income citizens just don’t matter Read Post »
“Dear Editor—I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Grinch. Papa says, “If you see it in the Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Grinch. Virginia O’Hanion Virginia, your friends are wrong. They do not believe except what they see, and because they do
Yes, Virginia, there is a Grinch Read Post »
Is money the determining factor for whether school districts produce students who perform well? Surprisingly, the answer is no. If money alone were the key, a small town like Steubenville, Ohio, in the Rust Belt, would not be able to outperform Upper Arlington, Ohio, an affluent community, but Steubenville did. No doubt, adequate funding is
Why do some school districts produce good results, while others don’t? Read Post »
It’s hardly a news flash that Republicans in Congress have failed to confront President Donald Trump about the wrecking ball he is wielding. Maybe they should watch “Band of Brothers” and take stock of the late Senator John McCain’s courage, which I’ll discuss in a minute. First, let’s review what’s going on. Republicans have been
Politicians are enamored with prestige and forget their duty Read Post »
The Medicaid work requirement in the budget bill recently passed by a Republican majority in House of Representatives brings to light political expediency, that is, when you have to make cuts, choose an easy target. The work requirement is based on a sentiment that goes back years. Former Congressional Budget Office director, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, wrote
Medicaid recipients easy targets for GOP lawmakers Read Post »
By way of executive orders, President Donald Trump has accused several of American’s largest and most prestigious law firms of substantial misconduct and is punishing them. The firms are left with a Sophie’s choice: either capitulate and strike a deal or risk losing their clients. It’s self-preservation versus standing up to an unprecedented threat to our
It’s a shakedown. Trump is going after “enemy” law firms with relentless vengeance Read Post »
The Republicans of yesterday wanted limited government. Today’s Republicans want to tell us how to think. President Trump is banning DEI because it forces “illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion.’” Based on what evidence? According to Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce, DEI does not promote hiring on the
Republicans want to tell us how to think Read Post »
Issue 1 on the November ballot will remove politicians from the business of drawing voting maps. In Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman’s view, Issue I is “gerrymandering at its finest.” The irony is striking. Huffman and Ohio’s Redistricting Commission disregarded seven orders from the Ohio Supreme Court to observe the constitutional mandate to draw maps
Don’t be fooled by pants-on-fire lie Read Post »
No one seriously questions that our immigration system is broken, but even with plenty of legitimate reasons to support comprehensive reform, Donald Trump chooses to engage in fiction to gain votes. Why? Because lying works; voters don’t question what they hear. And, yes, Democrats also lie. It’s just that Trump has elevated lying to a
Simply blaming Trump for lying is the easy way out Read Post »
The Israeli goal of eliminating Hamas raises the question, is the war’s resulting civilian Palestinian death toll proportional, as the International Committee of the Red Cross puts it, “in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated?” More than 35,000 Palestinians have died in the Gaza war, roughly two-thirds of whom are women and children. I
War can’t be sanitized no matter how we try Read Post »
We vote for our legislative representatives, but the reality is, they select the voters who put them in office. Sounds crazy, but it’s true. A group called Citizens Not Politicians is poised to bring real change to how state and congressional legislative districts are drawn in Ohio. Before explaining what’s coming, let’s take stock of
We can’t trust politicians to draw election maps Read Post »