Congratulations to President-elect Donald J. Trump and all those who supported him in his historic victory. It wasn’t the outcome that I and nearly half of America’s voters wanted. But it’s time to be positive about his win and work for the future of the country. Trump proclaimed his victory as a “unprecedented and powerful…
(Part 1 of a 2-Part Series) Independent voters will likely tip the scales in the November presidential election. You have an outsize role in one of the most consequential elections in American history. It could very well be the most important vote of your life. The candidates and their political parties are focusing on you…
(Part 2 of a 2-Part Series) In Part 1 of this series, I encouraged independent voters to take a more rigorous approach in choosing our next President. I asked you to forego the expedient option of going with political party leanings and the messaging of one candidate. Also, the election is too important to base…
Your goal is worthy. I join you in wanting America to be great. This is a quest that should unite all Americans. But I worry that our country can’t truly be great as long as we remain divided, angry, and unable to agree on basic facts. It seems like all we do is fight and…
Do you ever wonder how accurate and impartial your news sources are? Do you view yourself as fully informed on all sides? Or are you caught inside an “echo chamber” or “filter bubble” that reinforces your preexisting beliefs and insulates you from conflicting information? Social scientists tell us that “confirmation bias” is alive and well…
Do you ever wonder how much weight you should give to public opinion polls? For instance, if a politician has a low job approval rating, does that prove the politician is doing a bad job? Or what about when you’re responding to a survey on specific issues, such as the economy, inflation, or the U.S.-…
In prior posts I have lamented that America is deeply divided, exploring in particular how the media has exacerbated the problem. I have concluded that our current situation is a “no win” not only for the country, but also for Republicans, Democrats, and citizens in general. I promised to explore what we need to do…
I believe that the way we practice politics in this country is a major reason why Americans are divided, angry, and frustrated. What I dub as the “hyper-partisan, blame game rubric” has, in recent years, become the predominant way we make policy and govern. The harm goes beyond sewing division and anger, as our elected…