Sharing Thoughts and Ideas - 2019 and newer

Facts Matter. How Do You Want to be Judged? Facts matter. In the Impeachment process in Congress, the big question is whether there will be witnesses and additional documents permitted. For the trial in the Senate to be fair, all the relevant evidence needs to be presented, both for and against conviction, so that “the truth, the  whole truth, and nothing but the truth” be known. I want there to be a fair trial in the Senate. And, as a Republican, I want President Trump to put up a vigorous and credible defense. When this is over, the worst thing for Republicans is for the “trial” in the Senate to be viewed by the voters as a pure Republican cover-up. In contrast to much of the secondhand testimony in the House proceeding that Republicans have criticized, Trump’s former National Security Advisor John Bolton and Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney both have firsthand direct knowledge of some of the critical events. The Democrats want very badly to see them testify...

Trump ordered the surprise drone strike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen.  Qassem Soleimani  while he was in Iraq reportedly planning further terrorists’ acts against American personnel. Soleimani served as commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force and was considered one of Iran’s most powerful military figures and a possible successor to Iran’s current lead er. He is  the architect of Iran’s regional security strategy and intelligence chief who is believed to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American troops over the years, I will neither praise Trump nor condemn him for ordering the strike. Surely the U.S. is better off with Soleimani dead. What is not known is what the repercussions of the killing will be. Iran will likely attempt to retaliate. Will it be less or more harmful than if the killing had not occurred? We will never know, as the intelligence community will probably not reveal what they knew about his plans, as doing so w...

We hear in the media of two problems regarding higher education: ·          The costs have gone up dramatically, making college unaffordable for many. ·          Students who have needed college loans to enable them to go to college are saddled by an incredible amount of debt. The following statistics bear these statements out. It truly was easier financially to get my Bachelor’s Degree from Michigan State University from 1967-1970, getting my degree in three years and a summer term, working my way through, and leaving with no debt and a new car. “ Average Cost of College Statistics and Key Findings ·          Average Total Cost of Public Colleges:  $25,290  (in-state)  $40,940  (out-of-state) ·          Average Total Cost of Private Colleges:  $50,900 ·      ...