Mad Hatter Thinking

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…

On Legislating

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…

Unlost Value

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…

Cancel China

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…

No

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…

Thankful

It’s Thanksgiving Day. This is a time when many of us are focused on family and food. But we should not let the day pass without contemplating our many blessings, including our family and friends. In our case we have five wonderful grandchildren who are all a delight. They are, as we like Read more…