Elders Speak Out

What defines American Exceptionalism in today’s world?

It is time to heal divisions. In the words of Andrew Jackson, “The Union, it must be preserved.”

An open letter to the Honorable Chief Justice John Roberts expressing one senior citizen’s hopes and requests for more constitutionally responsible Supreme Court Action.

The Trump administration removed plaques highlighting Black soldiers contributions at an American World War II cemetery in the Netherlands. Dutch citizens call for their restoration.

Rising prices, weakened public institutions, reduced healthcare support, and fading international alliances are reshaping daily life. Many who backed the administration now face the consequences of policies eroding stability, safety, and essential services.

A deeper look at how dominance works in daily life, how citizens become voluntary participants, and how distraction, fear, and eroding norms sustain a powerful system. The question becomes how individuals resist and rebuild independence.

Extraordinary times demand extraordinary leadership. This piece examines the kind of messenger and message needed to inspire voters, restore democratic values, and engage young Americans in a moment of historic urgency.

Growing executive power, weakened institutions, and stagnant economic opportunity demand more than slogans. This article argues for rebuilding services, restoring healthcare protections, and investing in national job programs rooted in real public need.

While Trump’s threats to democracy are real, voters struggling with daily survival don’t feel the urgency. Democrats must offer more than warnings and present a clear, positive vision that improves everyday life and motivates turnout.

Observations from military history reveal a timeless truth about leadership: the wrong kind of energy can do great damage. A brief reflection asks readers to consider how this applies to today’s political climate.

The smiling lady in the Ancestry ad proudly proclaims, “my ancestors were resilient.”  “Resilience” as defined by Meririam-Webster: “tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.”  Resilience is not a term I’d use to describe the immigrants I’ve interpretted and translated for.  “Desperate” would be more applicable

The 17th Century English philosopher Thomas Hobbes is now widely regarded as one of a handful of truly great political philosophers, whose masterwork Leviathan rivals in significance the political writings of Plato, Aristotle, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Voltaire and Rawls.  To which I would add the brilliant young political polymath James

The Bill of Obligations: The 10 Habits of Good Citizens, by Richard Haass, longtime diplomat and policy maker for four presidents.