Origin of the Phrase You might think the phrase, “A Clear and Present Danger” is only a movie title. But it’s not. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendel Holmes, Jr. coined the phrase in a famous opinion on freedom of speech. It defines an exception to First Amendment rights. He concluded that no one has a… More
The Dangerous Rise of Autocracy
The Worst Autocrats of the 20th Century An autocracy is a system of government controlled by one person with absolute power. Our founding fathers designed a unique form of democratic government with built-in safeguards that significantly distinguishes it from an autocracy. For example, countries with democratic governments are less likely to preemptively make war, but… More
Trump—Divides Americans, Unifies Enemies
A Dickensian Tale To paraphrase Charles Dickens: It was the most unifying of times, it was the most divisive of times; it was the epoch of unquestioning belief, it was the epoch of perpetual incredulity; it was the spring of blind faith, it was the winter of discerning despair. Donald John Trump, bankrupt real estate… More
Russia is Not Our Friend
Russia the Enemy—Not Friend A friend is an ally, someone who is on your side. But it goes deeper than that. A true friend is one who seeks to promote your happiness and prosperity. An enemy is someone hostile to you; one who works to harm you and your best interests. By any set of… More
Russia’s Useful Idiots
Origin of the Term Useful Idiots Vladimir Lenin, founder of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was a master of propaganda and manipulation. To spread communism worldwide, Lenin recognized the need to transparently support socialist movements in foreign countries, but clandestinely subvert their governments. He found he could exploit individuals who, wittingly or unwittingly… More
All Roads Lead to Russia
Putin’s Goals Last month Donald Trump put an exclamation point on what we’ve known for some time. All roads lead to Russia. From the 2016 campaign throughout his presidency to date, Trump has steadfastly placed Russia’s interests over ours. Stunning as it may sound, I believe the Russians expected this result. When Trump was declared… More
Trump—More than an Embarrassment
Actions lead to major security risk Donald Trump isn’t capable of self-reflection and feeling shame, so he isn’t embarrassed by his behavior. But when he was elected President, he became more than an embarrassment to the United States. He has upended global alliances, shown disdain for the environment and actively destroyed gains we’ve made. His… More