Is the world changing or is it just us? Thinking back to the 1970’s I fondly recollect viewing “All in the Family” with everyone’s favorite conservative, Archie Bunker. The show would open with the song “Those were the Days.” The voices of Archie and Edith kind of singing “Girls were girls and men were men, Mister … More The Country That Never Was
The age of Trump if there is such a time has passed him and his followers by. He is in all the media reports doing this and that with this executive order or another. Any President issuing an executive order draws attention and calls for a response. Better orders result from discussing proposals with Congress, … More The Age of Trump
Another Continuing Resolution (CR) so government offices stay open. Do our elected leaders not understand the term budget? Congress has only completed this process before the beginning of the fiscal year 3 times in the last 47 years. When our elected leaders cannot agree on the actual money needed and who gets what, a continuing … More Pyrrhic Victory or Surrender
I honestly never thought Donald Trump would be re-elected. His life history was so demeaning of others and his non political activities I thought disqualified him in the eyes of many. My expectations were not realized. His actions since being elected have been simply crazy in my opinion. His aligning with Elon Musk along with … More Where have our leaders gone?
“This country was built on American respect for education” R. Reagan. Thomas Jefferson warned that government “tyranny” would emerge unless “the people at large” were “educated at the common expense of all.” Yet more than half of Americans (51%) say our public education system is going in the wrong direction. We have been “fixing” education since … More Golden Rule Days
This article is written specifically with the State of Idaho in mind. Idaho is a state that refused to expand Medicaid after the passage of the Affordable Care Act. It was later approved using the Initiative Process and having it placed on the state ballot. Despite that approval several legislators try to repeal it or … More Medicaid Expansion Isn’t Broken
We have the criminal, now we only need the crime. This may be how government works in this time of Trump. The crime is the alleged bloated budget in the government caused by over staffed agencies and the over funded bureaucracy. Mr. Musk and Mr. Ramaswamy have decided the solution is to cut the federal … More In the Time of Trump
I never met Donald Trump. I worked on a couple of buildings that had his name at the roof line, but I wasn’t working for him. Between what I knew of him, read of him and learned about him; we would not be friends. Our worlds were so vastly different in so many ways. Him … More The Donald Trump I Never Knew
Affordable housing remains the single most significant issue facing our nation today. In prior times of high housing costs and high interest rates we created means to make affordable housing available. Providing financial assistant for a down payment helped but now the actual down payment requires a substantial amount. Various mortgage scenarios VA, FHA, Variable … More Affordable Housing Is Possible
Open space is essential for any community but is the public buying land for open space a rational way to regulate development and keep growth orderly? Are there other options that work to both provide open space and distribute density? Growth equates to development, more houses, apartments, roads and traffic. Those are only some of … More Growing Separately Together
Phil's Personal Perspectives 