The language of politics is a remarkable exercise in disingenuity, distortion, and deceit. In other words, there’s a lot of lying in the political world. After all, there are some politicians who will do anything to secure and retain power. Sometimes they lie accidently. More frequently it’s by design. I hated all of it when Read more…
In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a crime wave occurring in America. Some people want to assign the problem to gun control. It’s a convenient rally place for people who are more ready to blame an inanimate object than the person using it to wreak havoc on people. “There are too many guns Read more…
If you spend enough time in politics, don’t be surprised when people ask you to endorse their political candidacy for this or that office. In a fashion, it is a compliment. After all they must think that people actually care what you think about their campaign. Honestly, I can’t imagine why. It Read more…
I was a legislator in the Virginia General Assembly for 16 years following a 28-year career in the U.S. Army. The latter was not entirely helpful to the former. Sure, there were many leadership lessons I learned from the military that helped me as a legislator. But legislating is a “different breed of Read more…
Having settled on my New Year resolutions (which I am happily observing with varying degrees of success,) I thought I would share a few resolutions that others may want to consider. Presumptuous? Yes. Most folks can figure out on their own how to improve their lives. Some even without the assistance of enumerated resolutions. That Read more…
The other day, my dear wife asked me innocently “Do you have any resolutions for this new year?” I groused at the idea saying, “My only resolution this year is to get to next year.” It was a rude brush off. But the last two years have felt rude. In 2020, we saw COVID-19 Read more…
Recently I lost something. I say lost because I’m not sure where it is. I’ve looked and retraced my steps several times and just cannot find it. It’s both valuable and sentimental. It’s distressing that I can’t find it. Yet I’m finding this loss is somewhat instructive as I occasionally disengage from a busy workday Read more…
I’m not a supporter of what is now known as “cancel culture,” whereby individuals and groups advocate boycotting or withdrawing support from those they regard as saying things they find offensive. This phenomenon is self-righteous and fundamentally anti-intellectual. The former is evident. The latter may need a bit of exploration. The cancel culture Read more…
In national security matters, it is vital that America is clear and not pusillanimous. That’s a big word for “gutless.” Strength and clarity must be what defines our diplomatic affairs. To be sure, diplomacy requires a deft hand applied to direct and guide our national security actions while avoiding the popular political themes Read more…
I’m taking a break this week to catch up on revising the final draft of my next book. Writing a book is no small effort and it requires patience and focus to get it right. This week I received very positive peer reviews on my latest work—the U.S. role in UN Middle Read more…