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Insights From History - Blogs


May 21, 2022 Lifeboat Ethics As Regards Immigration - Part III

Americans are deeply divided as regards immigration.  This division must be bridged if we are to realize the immense benefits that immigrants can bring to
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April 23, 2022 Lifeboat Ethics As Regards Immigration - Part II

The 335 million residents of ‘lifeboat’ America are relatively safe and secure, but the world ‘ocean’ includes around 160 million desperate people who would enter America if
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March 16, 2022 Concessions and Truces Never Win Wars, Cold or Hot.

Truce talks are underway, to be followed at some point by peace talks.  But Russia’s Vladimir Putin is an adamant aggressor.  He can’t be trusted to keep his word.  So any truce/peace must
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March 11, 2022 America Must Deal With Putin From a Position of Strength.  Is It Waning?

Adamant aggressors like Vladimir Putin love weakness and ambivalence among nations opposing their ambitions.  America brings many strengths to the table... But we are letting some strengths waste away,
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March 1, 2022 Who’s Watching Whether We Effectively Support Ukraine?

There are many reasons for wanting a free and independent Ukraine – economic, humanitarian, security, etc.  But the strongest reason has little to do with Ukraine.  It has to do with
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February 24, 2022 Russia Invades Ukraine

Last night, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.  He added, “Our plans are not to occupy Ukraine, we do not plan to impose
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February 12, 2022 Lifeboat Ethics As Regards Immigration

Psychology Today published an article by University of California Professor Garrett Hardin entitled Lifeboat Ethics: the Case Against Helping the Poor.  To illustrate the problem he posed a hypothetical situation
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October 23, 2021 Sanctuary Status Based On False Premise

Sanctuary cities in America refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.  Leaders of these cities have long justified this position
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August 28, 2021 Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic No Longer Required

Governor signs bill on July 14 barring schools from requiring that high-school students demonstrate “Proficiency in Essential Learning Skills” before
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July 31, 2021 Individuals’ Rights Are Not In the Original Constitution.  Where Are They?

The only rights in the original Constitution are in Article I, Section 9:  “The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or
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April 24, 2021 Mass Shootings Are Tragedies – But the Bigger Tragedy Lies Elsewhere!

After each high-profile shooting public debate follows a familiar pattern – blame, pick sides, pass a new law and move on.  Why not focus on all gun-related deaths?  Involve talented
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April 10, 2021 They Can’t Stop Them From Saying It; They Do Stop You From Hearing It

Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act allows these companies to regulate content; they can block transmission of all or parts of any communication/message, to
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March 6, 2021 No Mass Shooting Murders In More Than a Year – What’s The Takeaway?

Sales of personal firearms were sharply higher during 2020, with substantial sales to first-time owners.  This fact seems to belie correlation between gun ownership and
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February 6, 2021 Ayatollah Khamenei and Iran – Existential Threat to America?

Iran is, arguably, the number one sponsor of international terrorism, and it will soon have nuclear weapons.  We must either forego our own interests and those of future generations or
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January 2, 2021 Declining Birth Rate – Trouble For America

Not only are American women having fewer children, the average age at which they bear their first child has advanced from 21.4 years in 1970 to 26.9 in 2018.  Unchanged, the combination of these two factors means
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December 5, 2020 When Comorbid Conditions Cause “Covid-19 Deaths” – Why is Covid Primary?

For around 95% of deaths where Covid-19 is reported on death certificates, it is designated as the primary cause of death.  Statistics resulting from that practice are likely
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November 14, 2020 Are Some Statues and Monuments Bad? – What Should Be Done?

Demonstrations and riots that have swept America seemed bent on tearing down every symbol deemed counter to their view of a properly ‘woke’
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October 31, 2020 Judging Historical Figures By Today’s Standards – Hubris To the Max

The introduction of present-day perspectives into interpretations of the past is called presentism.  It seems to be common practice when
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October 24, 2020 Heroes Are Good Despite Their Bad

Heroes are not self made.  They’re created and idealized by the person or group that reveres them – family, organization, nation, etc.  They’re mostly ‘good’
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October 17, 2020 Majority Rules Or Electoral College – Which Is Better?

Tyranny of the majority manifests when an elected majority pursues its own objectives without regard for the interests of minority
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October 10, 2020 Freedom of Speech – Guaranteed to All in America?

The First Amendment to our Constitution doesn’t give anyone, directly, a right to free speech.  Rather, it directs that
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October 3, 2020 Dis-assimilation Becomes Disunion – The End of America

Waves of immigrants have adopted American culture and values; assimilation gave them an American identity, and it unified America.  Now, many Americans are rejecting
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September 26, 2020 What’s going on? – Demonstration?  Riot?  Revolution?  Treason?

People are out in city streets virtually every night engaging in ... what?  Depends on who’s giving the answer and who’s providing quotes, sound bites and
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September 19, 2020 Freedom and Equality – Mutually Exclusive Ends of a Continuum

At our founding and during America’s rise to prominence, the ideal of liberty was withheld from some groups – black slaves, aboriginals, orientals and, as regards voting,
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September 12, 2020 "All Men Are Created Equal – What Does It Mean?"

Setting aside that women are not specifically referenced in this declaration, what did our Founders mean when they avowed that all men are created equal?  Did they mean that all should be of one
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September 5, 2020 Black Lives Matter – If the Killer Is a Cop

Cops kill around 230 black Americans each year; blacks murder more than 6,500 black Americans each year.  Demonstrations ‘honor’ a small
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August 29, 2020 The First Civil War – Fought to Preserve the Union

Americans have again been brought to war with each other, and unconditional surrender of the other seems to be the only acceptable outcome for
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August 22, 2020 Xi Jinping and China – Existential Threat to America

The leaders of many countries like to see the United States taken down a notch or two.  (Sadly, so do some in America.)  But Xi Jinping is dangerously different.  He is
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August 15, 2020 Freedom of Assembly – Even During a Pandemic?

Throughout our history ... government entities have worked to limit peaceable assembly, usually in the name of public safety or national security
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August 8, 2020 Americans May Defend Themselves If Their Governments Don’t ... or Won’t

The interminable violence sweeping our cities has awakened millions to value this right.  They’re seeing that they can’t rely on local governments
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August 1, 2020 Founding Values Matter – Existentially!

Like companies, nations prosper or not according to how well they meet the perceived needs of their people and how well their business is managed.  ‘America Incorporated’ has serious problems
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