In a speech prepared for him to read from the Oval Office, President Trump has condemned the shootings in Dayton and El Paso, calling for unity in opposing hatred, white supremacists, violence, especially on the internet and social media, and promising additional resources for the FBI in addressing domestic terrorism. It approached presidential in content …
Continue reading Trump on gun violence: judge him by his actions
The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer demand relief from the news, and summer reading could be just the antidote. The following are some suggestions: Non-Fiction: Tara Westover’s memoir Educated is one of the most gripping books I have read in a long time, possibly ever. Against all odds, Westover grew up in a Mormon …
Continue reading Summer reading and escape from Donald Trump
Behold the flaming liberal, which devours its own if it strays too far from the nest! Right now, the best thing Donald Trump has going for him is the divided Democratic Party. The most left-leaning could hold sway in the primary but not reflect where the majority of the electorate is in November. The most …
Continue reading An open letter to Democrats (and debate moderators)
Massachusetts is officially the most Irish state in the country, with nearly 22 percent of residents being of Irish ancestry. Considering how many of the politicians I've covered are "Irish," it is surprising that only recently did I travel to the Emerald Isle. The month of June changed that, and what a treat it was. …
Franklin Park Zoo isn't my grandfather's zoo, or the one my father took me to eons ago. It isn't even the zoo I took my children and grandchildren to. It's becoming a jewel of a zoo, with animal attractions for people of all ages, from the entertaining antics of the prairie dogs to the graceful …
July 12th is a day to watch in Northern Ireland. The annual Orange Order parade-- the highlight of a months-long marching season-- commemorates the 1690 Battle of Boyne defeat of forces of Catholic King James II by those of Protestant King William of Orange. It was the beginning of Protestant control of Ireland and the …
Continue reading Bloodshed continues in Northern Ireland despite Peace Accords; could worsen
Did we really shift from a Biden-someone to a Warren-Castro to Harris-Buttigieg "winning" ticket overnight? Unlikely. We are at a blip in time. There's a long way to go. Remember the lack of poll and pundit support Donald Trump had after his first debates? Remember George W. Bush "lost" a major presidential debate to John …
Continue reading Dems first debate: too soon for judging winners and losers?
So now, in time for the July 4th celebration of our democracy, the Supreme Court has ruled that elected officials shall pick their voters rather than the other way around. It's probably a worse decision that Bush v. Gore because the Court said in 2000 that there was no precedential value to that decision. Not …
Continue reading Supreme Court decision on gerrymandering profoundly disappoints
Despite our desire for a Trump-free ten days in Ireland, our President was on too many minds over there. Landing at Shannon Airport, we had to pass the VIP Lounge where just days before Trump and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar met because Varadkar didn't want an official visit to be at Trump's golf course, …
We hadn't even finished unpacking from a vacation in Ireland when we were accosted by headlines that the Environmental Protection Agency has finalized its plans to undo years of modest progress on climate change, especially the Obama Clean Power Plan. The Trump Affordable Clean Energy Rule's bow to the U.S. coal industry (among other fossil …
Continue reading Ireland: where Trump is not, on climate change
Marjorie Arons-Barron 