RR is totally lost, out of his depth, and uncomfortable. He has not enough knowledge or decisiveness to cut through the contradictory advice that is being offered to him. —Richard Pipes, at a 1981 National Security Council meeting The general…
Betsy DeVos: the worst possible choice for Education Secretary
Largely as a result of the DeVos’ lobbying, Michigan tolerates more low-performing charter schools than just about any other state. —Stephen Henderson, Detroit Free Press Billionaire Betsy DeVos, Trump’s pick for Secretary of Education, and her brother Erik Prince are…
Green California Makes Progress while Petro State Texas Falters:
From 2015 to 2016, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, California’s Gross Domestic Product rose 4.1 percent while Texas dropped 1.4 percent—right at the edge of recession. Once again conservative economists have been proved wrong: high taxes in the…
Idaho’s religious shield law and tragic child deaths
Editor’s note: this version of Mr. Gier’s column is an expanded version from the one currently in print. An adult’s religious freedom crosses the line when it causes death to a child. –Child Activist Linda Martin These children…
In praise of Asian monarchs: past and present
In late May 1992, against the advice of the State Department, I travelled to Thailand for a two-week visit. There had been a military coup the previous year, and on May 17, an estimated 200,000 Thais gathered in Bangkok to…
Columbus Day and the Christian conquest of the world:
“We discovered Columbus, lost on our shores, sick, destitute, and wrapped in rags. We nourished him to health, and the rest is history. He represents the mascot of American colonialism in the Western Hemisphere.” —Lakota activist Bill Means May 4,…
Gandhi, the Buddha and the limits of non-violence:
“I felt I was in the presence of a noble soul, a true disciple of Lord Buddha, and a true believer in peace and harmony among all men.” —The Dalai Lama “Gandhi is the greatest Indian since Gautama Buddha and…
I Half-Agree with the Libertarian Party:
I always enjoyed lecturing about the libertarians when I taught political philosophy. They style themselves as serious thinkers; and, calling themselves the “Party of Principle,” they choose theoretical consistency over political expediency. In 1972 presidential election philosopher John Hospers garnered…
Fact checking the Democratic Convention
Author’s note: Two weeks ago I checked Trump’s convention speech, so it is only fair that I now look at statements from the Democrats. According to a Gallup poll, the 2106 Republican Convention set a record. Reporting the lowest level…
‘I saw the mushroom cloud’
After being honorably discharged from the Army Air Corps in 1945, my dear friend Howard Riggs held various construction management positions and worked abroad in Saudi Arabia, Iran and Peru. In 2007 he moved to Spokane to be close to…