WASHINGTON — Today’s pandemic has simultaneously inflicted the isolation of “social distancing” and the social solidarity of shared anxiety. In tandem, these have exacerbated a tendency that was already infecting America’s body politics before the virus insinuated itself into many bodies and…
Stop scaring seniors
As we settle into our new reality and way of life, most of us find ourselves with too much time on our hands.
On Thursday, major banks were still awaiting guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department on how to lend money approved in the $350 billion relief program that forms part of the government’s new $2 trillion economic package.
Prime parking
WASHINGTON — This week the United States reached a grim milestone when the number of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic surpassed 2,977 — the number killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Now that a pandemic 9/11 has befallen our nation, we need to ask ourselves: Why does it alwa…
There’s plenty going on these days that deserves some discussion. Admittedly, most of it is grim news and we can’t seem to escape the constant updates regarding the Coronavirus. Whether it’s new cases or an increase in deaths related to the virus, state and national officials always seem to …
Who was fiddling around?
Congress passed and the president signed a $2 trillion “stimulus” bill.
Many years ago when I was a young mother, my toddler son vanished from sight when I turned my back for a few seconds to water some flowers. Frantic, I ran to the street and looked in both directions, shrieking his name.
A recent report by Chris Stewart has shed new light on some of the educational problems faced by black youth. The report is titled “The Secret Shame: How America’s Most Progressive Cities Betray Their Commitment to Educational Opportunity for All.” Stewart is a self-described liberal and CEO…
None of the myriad documents prepared by state agencies last year came close to generating the conflict and heated emotions of a proposed new ethnic studies curriculum for public schools put forward by the State Board of Education and California’s Department of Education.
America is drowning in huge numbers and the worst part is that they are dangerously sickening.
Over a normal two-week period we’d expect around half a million U.S. workers to file claims for unemployment insurance. Over the past two weeks we’ve seen almost 10 million filings. We’re facing an incredible economic catastrophe.
Stilwell’s theory
Worship him or die
California and Washington were the first to report community cases of COVID-19 and also the first in the U.S. to mandate resident stay-at-home orders.
WASHINGTON — It’s no wonder that watching Andrew Cuomo’s daily briefings can make some people crave Chianti and meatballs.
Hold my beer
Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris posted a question on his Facebook page on Tuesday, asking whether people thought it was a good idea to require everyone to wear masks when venturing outside, to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Governments in the United States are restricting freedoms to unprecedented degrees in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. As dangerous as this expansion of power is, in some ways, federal, state and local governments are also reducing their intrusions into our lives by cutting many reg…
Call Cuba and Dustin
In our seven-day quest each week for good news, we find it’s about as difficult this spring, as when the miners searched for tiny bits of gold back in the mid-1880s.
What William McKinley was to the front-porch campaign, Joe Biden is to the basement campaign.
No such thing as free money
It looks like our days of social distancing have been extended until the end of April.
The United States Department of Labor reported on Thursday that 3.3 million people filed for unemployment insurance last week, confirming that the economy is rapidly transitioning from strong activity to an unwelcome hibernation because of the Coronavirus.
Do this, do that
We’re traveling in a crowded subway car somewhere under Manhattan when, without warning, the car comes to an abrupt halt in a tunnel in between stations.
We’ve all heard it several times, from various sources, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger and countless others: Limit the activities outside of your house to essential errands and maintain six-feet of distance from others at a…
Rapper and actor O’Shea Jackson, commonly known as Ice Cube, supported President Donald Trump’s impeachment and removal from office. Cube recently said he “can’t wait to see” Trump in handcuffs. So, the black rapper, who became rich and famous by attacking the country’s “racist” criminal jus…
WASHINGTON — Not since 9/11 has the importance of eloquence been so apparent.
Coronavirus is frightening.
All through the bankruptcy process Pacific Gas & Electric Co. entered in early 2019, almost all key moves have been made by platoons of lawyers working for the big utility, its creditors and more than 80,000 burned-out victims of wildfires started at least in part by faulty PG&E equi…
No thanks
Irritating clouds
As we steam into the raw details of the astounding Coronavirus pandemic, there’s a shameful answer to an obvious early question.
If you want a quick summary of the state of play over fiscal stimulus legislation, here it is: Republicans insist that we should fight a plague with trickle-down economics and crony capitalism. Democrats, for some reason, don’t agree, and think we should focus on directly helping Americans in need.
WASHINGTON — It’s not easy being a national treasure.
Taxes and Coronavirus
In a full-page ad, three U.S. newspaper publishers urged China to reverse an order to expel American journalists working for a number of news organizations from the Asian country’s story about the Coronavirus pandemic during this horrifically dangerous period.
Racism, violence are interrelated
It’s easy to feel depressed and scared these days. News about the impact and death toll of the new Coronavirus, COVID-19, is constant. Government responses have been chaotic, ranging from near-indifference to suddenly shutting down the economy, with politicians offering to pay for everything.
As of this writing, it’s been six days since Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered all Californians to stay home.
For decades, Iowa with its almost lily-white populace has had far more to say about the political destiny of America than California, the most populous state, whose residents far more closely represent the nation’s full diversity.
A statewide order was issued Thursday by California’s Governor Gavin Newsom, pointedly telling all residents to “stay at home.”
Winning time?
Why is it so hard for some folks to follow the “rules?”
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