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Are elected officials positive role models for aspiring future public servants? | Opinion
When you look at the behavior of many elected officials, whether at the local, state or national level, how many would you identify as positive role models for young people who are looking to go into politics? There are characteristics of a positive role model that cut across professions that can be guideposts for young […]
Funding prisons is a higher priority than funding education in most states. Why? | Opinion
In America, the land of the free, there are more prisons and more prisoners than any other country in the world. This is not a new phenomenon. For decades, the rate of imprisonment in the United States has been more than twice that of its nearest developmental counterpart. The long-standing question, both at home and […]
Denying history is a major impediment in state legislatures and Congress | Opinion
If you do not know your history or, worse still, know it but deny it, how on earth do you expect to learn from it and move forward? Unfortunately, many leaders in government who can take actions or propose measures to correct persistent issues are either denying, ignoring or redefining history to disavow whether there […]
Can you identify national values that unite us as Americans? | Opinion
Just two weeks ago, we paused to remember those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, as the unthinkable happened: America was attacked by a foreign enemy on its own soil. In the aftermath, amid the horrid loss of life, the pierced veil of safety once thought impenetrable, the fear and uncertainty about what […]
We must never forget that elected officials work for the people | Opinion
Labor Day is set aside to celebrate and honor workers across many industries whose efforts keep America running each and every day. Have you ever thought of elected officials as being part of the workforce that keeps America prosperous and working in the best way possible? More importantly, do elected officials perceive themselves as part […]
Is America experiencing a different kind of ‘civil war’? | Opinion
Wars are not always fought by armed military forces with guns, bombs, stealth fighters, and sophisticated weaponry. And the enemy is not always clearly defined. Even the reasons for war often lack clarity. But the divisiveness and fighting still rage, nonetheless. At first glance, you might think characterizing the divisiveness that America is experiencing today […]
COVID brings front and center the tug between individual rights and the public good
It seems that getting control of the coronavirus has brought front and center the question: When should an individual’s right become more important than what is in the best health and welfare of the people, the country? The Bill of Rights places high priority on individual freedoms — the bedrock of our democracy that we […]
Ongoing fight for voting rights shows how the weeds of aristocracy are alive and well in America
America just recently commemorated its birthday, Independence Day, celebrating freedom from the oppressive monarchy and aristocracy from which its forefathers fled. But the weeds of aristocracy — the stubborn and relentless efforts to choke out equal representation — could not be more evident than in the recent surge across the country to make it more […]
What is the ‘Show Me State’ showing its citizens and the nation?
The state of Missouri, the “Show Me State,” is located in the heart of America. In addition to the sass and symbolism the nickname and location connote, what a great geographical and strategic position to be in — to lead, to bring about positive improvements in the lives of its citizens and be a great […]