Owatonna, MN Correspondent- As we've seen with the Republican party in recent years, change in party philosophy begins more at the grassroots level than with party leadership. The core Republican is now much more conservative than he or she was a few decades ago. And we shouldn't forget that back in the first half of … Continue reading Symposium 2016: Former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman cautions that the Democratic Party needs to find a leader who will keep it from being completely overtaken by the far left wing of the party. Should tried and true Democrats prevent this kind of takeover, or should they simply let the party further deteriorate into something far more left wing?
Government
Is the War on Terrorism the New Normal?
Prescott Valley, AZ Correspondent-It appears that the War on Terrorism is here to stay, at least until ISIS and other related terrorist organizations, cells, lone wolf operatives and fanatics involved in domestic and international terrorism are put out of commission. Whether the War on Terrorism will reach the goal of eradicating terrorism in anyone’s lifetime … Continue reading Is the War on Terrorism the New Normal?
Do denial of service attacks have other implications for US national and economic security?
From our Prescott, Valley, AZ Correspondent Denial of service attacks (DoS) have implications for US national and economic security as any one of these attacks can be launched with ease form the comfort of a computer keyboard or other device, making it hard to detect who is perpetrating the action. More and more criminals in … Continue reading Do denial of service attacks have other implications for US national and economic security?
In the last seven years, the American military has been significantly downgraded. With the end of the draft in 1973 and the development of the all volunteer military and a now dwindling military force, should the draft be reinstated to fill the gaps and attract a wider variety of individuals?
Owatonna, MN Correspondent-There is a correlating reason the American military has been downgraded (assuming downgraded means reduced in size). We are no longer fully engaged in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which was the primary reason for the buildup in the early 2000s. The number of troops and weapons available should ebb and flow based … Continue reading In the last seven years, the American military has been significantly downgraded. With the end of the draft in 1973 and the development of the all volunteer military and a now dwindling military force, should the draft be reinstated to fill the gaps and attract a wider variety of individuals?
Should Wal-Mart, Amazon.com, Fed-Ex/UPS or another large US-based company acquire the United States Postal Service?
Gastonia, NC Correspondent-Efficiency experts, business mavens, delivery brain trusts and thousands of others have for years been kicking around the idea of privatizing the United States Postal Service (USPS). Proponents point to things like charter schools, which in some instances have far outstripped the performance of their traditional public school counterparts. The reason any business … Continue reading Should Wal-Mart, Amazon.com, Fed-Ex/UPS or another large US-based company acquire the United States Postal Service?
Do police body cameras help or hurt law enforcement efforts?
Owatonna, MN Correspondent- Proponents of transparency in government rightly cheer the widening use of police body cameras to document police interactions with citizens. Anything that encourages open and honest government is a positive development. Unfortunately, it seems that law enforcement officials are uncomfortable with complete honesty. Many resist this new tool for community policing by … Continue reading Do police body cameras help or hurt law enforcement efforts?
The California National Guard offered bonuses to soldiers for signing 3- to 6-year enlistments from 2006 to 2010. The Guard recently sent letters to the soldiers asking them to pay back the bonuses. Should these soldiers be required to return the bonuses?
Prescott Valley, AZ Correspondent-No soldier who has defended the country and has re-enlisted because of specifically needed skill sets should be required to return bonuses. Also, any soldier willing to re-enlist to serve the country in time of need (combat tours) should not be made to return re-enlistment bonuses. Reneging on the bonuses appears to … Continue reading The California National Guard offered bonuses to soldiers for signing 3- to 6-year enlistments from 2006 to 2010. The Guard recently sent letters to the soldiers asking them to pay back the bonuses. Should these soldiers be required to return the bonuses?
Should the Electoral College be Abolished, Changed, or Kept the Same?
Prescott Valley, AZ Correspondent-The Electoral College should not be abolished. If it were, a few states, namely “Blue” ones would predominate in a presidential election and the rest of the country would suffer for lack of representation, and votes would be overshadowed and nullified. In the spirit of the Constitution, the winner of the Electoral … Continue reading Should the Electoral College be Abolished, Changed, or Kept the Same?
Is Donald Trump’s Election as President of the United States a Black Swan Event? If so, What Effect will it Have on Wall Street?
From Our Owatonna, MN Correspondent According to the website Investopedia, "A Black Swan is an event or occurrence that deviates beyond what is normally expected of a situation and is extremely difficult to predict. The term was popularized by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a finance professor, writer, and former Wall Street trader. Black Swan events are typically … Continue reading Is Donald Trump’s Election as President of the United States a Black Swan Event? If so, What Effect will it Have on Wall Street?
Election Day Comments From Our Gastonia, NC Correspondent
Election Day has come and gone, and I would like to take a moment to give a message to a few of my friends: To my Republican friends: You won a BIG one. Almost nobody saw this coming, and you’ve got control of both houses and the White House. Use it well. Remember that you … Continue reading Election Day Comments From Our Gastonia, NC Correspondent
