The Pew Research Center reports that income inequality is at its highest point since 1928. Will it ever substantially improve? Not without a dramatic paradigm shift. From 1979 to 2015, annual wages increased for the bottom 90 percent of Americans by 21 percent, according to the Economic Policy Institute. For the top 1.0 percent, the
U.S. wage gap is not likely to improve Read Post »
Who would ever think Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi have anything in common? Then again, what about those outsize egos they lug around? Trump proved his ego is of epic proportion the week before last when talking on Fox & Friends about the Mueller investigation (as reported by CBS News). “If I ever get impeached,
Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi–soulmates of sorts? Read Post »
After being terminally ill for months or perhaps years, should you have the right to say, “I’ve had enough. It’s time to die?” Not only a tough question, it’s one that makes us uneasy. Seven states—California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Vermont, Washington—and the District of Columbia permit what some call “death with dignity.” Except for
Is choosing death with dignity a moral decision? Read Post »
[I thought it appropriate to follow my last blog, which dealt with the annoying overuse of the word, “guys,” to touch on a related subject, bad grammar. This post was published in the Columbus Bar Association Lawyers Quarterly magazine a few years back. Regrettably, what I wrote then is still relevant.] In the words of
Enough with the bad grammar! Read Post »
[This piece was published a few years back in the Columbus Bar Association Lawyers Quarterly magazine. Because the state of our language continues its spiral decline, I’m posting it here.] It’s almost too much to bear. It’s enough to make my head explode. Our English language is slowly degrading to a point where things that
I’m done with you guys Read Post »
Unless you live in a cave, you’ve probably read several articles about the demise of civility in our political discourse. There’s no question a problem exists. Jim Simon did a nice job discussing the issue in an op-ed published June 28 in the Columbus Dispatch. He advocates a number of changes in how we behave,
Civility—a strategy for change Read Post »
We’re in the midst of a national kerfuffle over what it means to be patriotic, and it has a lot more to do with ego and attitude than substance. Funny thing is, the man who started the ruckus never served in the military. President Donald Trump has castigated NFL players for not standing during the
What’s the best way to measure patriotism? Read Post »
Enough already! How much longer should we endure the administration’s new policy of separating children from their immigrant parents? In the last six weeks, the administration has separated about 2000 children from their parents, with no clear plan for reuniting them Yes, the immigrants are wrong for seeking amnesty by just walking across the border
Stop the cruelty of separating children from their parents Read Post »
Is access to legal assistance for low-income Americans important? President Donald Trump doesn’t think so. His 2018 budget proposed eliminating the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), an independent nonprofit, established during the Nixon administration that provides civil legal aid to low-income Americans. Trump apparently forgot about his campaign theme—“to bring hope to every forgotten stretch of
State should support legal aid Read Post »
Imagine being in the foster care system for years and, suddenly, on your 18th birthday, you’re expected to fend for yourself. Get a job, find a place to live and make good of yourself. It’s a tall order for any 18-year-old, all the more so when you’ve suffered abuse or neglect or drug dependency has
Foster kids need help as they age out of system Read Post »
Running for the U.S. Senate are two men who have no business running for office. The first is Don Blankenship of West Virginia, and the other is Joe Arpaio, the former long-time sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona. Blankenship was the CEO of Massey Energy when a coal mine it operated exploded in 2010, killing 29
Arrogant and shameless, they’re running for the U.S. Senate Read Post »
Earlier this month, Gov. Rick Scott (R) signed a bill that promotes gun safety in Florida. The bill raises the age to buy firearms to 21, imposes a three-day waiting period on most firearm purchases and bans bump stocks, a device that essentially converts a semi-automatic rifle into a fully automatic rifle. The bill also allows
High school students know how to mobilize Read Post »