From the Left
/Politics
/ArcaMax
Habeas Corpus (and the Cabinet of Clowns)
She did not even know what habeas corpus is. It should come as no surprise, judging from her actions.
At a hearing, she was asked by Sen. Maggie Hassan, a New Hampshire Democrat:
Senator Hassan: "Secretary Noem, what is habeas corpus?"
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem: "Well, habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president...Read more
What Did the President Not Know, and When Did He Not Know It?
"What did the president know, and when did he know it?" That was the iconic question posed by Howard Baker, the ranking Republican on the Senate Watergate Committee, during televised hearings in 1973, to former White House Counsel John Dean about Nixon's knowledge of and involvement in the break-in at Democratic HQ and the subsequent coverup. ...Read more
Audiobooks and AI: Why Storytelling Is Better Off Human
I fell in love with audiobooks when my kids were young. We would stop at the library before a road trip and choose a few for our drive. I still love audiobooks. Many times it's a good audiobook that gets the chores done and the house clean. These days I use Audible or the library's Libby app.
June is the Audio Publishers Association's Audiobook...Read more
Here's a Tip
There are two things some of us know about taxes.
The first is that taxes are unfair because, "Hey! I earned that money."
The second is that if we didn't pay ANY taxes, then every government service would be free because if you don't pay for something, then it's free, right?
This is the kind of math that keeps the lottery in business. The ...Read more

Bill Press: My new plane is bigger than yours!
It’s official. In what is probably the most significant achievement of his first four months in office, Donald Trump has acquired a fancy new plane. For him, it’s a personal triumph. For the rest of us, it’s a national embarrassment.
His new plane is a luxury 747 worth $400 million called the “Flying Palace,” which the government of ...Read more
The Tax Cut Fantasy Needs to End
First off, let's drop the Republican claim that not extending Trump's 2017 tax cuts is a tax increase.
Many of these tax cuts were purposely designed to expire and for a sneaky reason. Making them permanent would have hiked the bill's cost by more than $1.5 trillion over 10 years. Add to that the interest payments tied to the higher borrowing...Read more
Blind Loyalty
How could they do it? How could they manipulate his schedule and control his appearances so that no one outside the circle of loyal insiders would see the man we saw the night of that debate?
They were loyal.
In politics, I learned this definition of loyalty. "Loyalty is not about standing by a friend/the candidate/the boss when they're ...Read more
Is Our Destiny Manifest With Trump?
I know what you're thinking. America made a wrong turn with Donald Trump, driving our destiny into darkness.
But there's reason to believe Trump is what we're all about, right from the start: real estate.
Trump, a mogul and dealmaker, aims to acquire Canada, Greenland and Gaza. Are these far-fetched whims? No.
George Washington, descendant ...Read more
Moral Rights for AI Bots? What About Human Bots?
You might be alarmed to learn that a little-known group in America is being treated inhumanely, denied even the most basic human rights.
I refer to our society's callous treatment of AI bots.
Who? AI bots are not an ethnic group, but the rapidly evolving species of advanced "artificial intelligence beings," spawned in recent years by the ...Read more
Sheikh Attack: Qatar and Company Turn America Into a Grift Shop
Donald Trump may not know due process from "101 Dalmatians," but he knows get-rich-quick schemes, and he wasted little time after taking office before making a beeline for the world's most reliable generator of cash for the Trump family: the Mideast. His trip to the Gulf last week could hardly have been a happier experience for our president: ...Read more
Funny. Trump Suddenly Finds the Profit Motive a Shocking Concept
Donald Trump's whirlwind visit to Qatar was certainly an extravaganza: "Red and lavender carpets. Arabian horses. Glitzy chandeliers. Camels. Sword dancers," according to The New York Times.
Sounded like a night at Studio 54.
Back on Main Street USA, things looked less fabulous. Trump's tariffs have been menacing the nation's retailers, ...Read more
'I Won't Abandon My Country'
I live every day in fear. My husband, Miguel, is undocumented and, despite what many believe, being married to a U.S. citizen does not protect him from Donald Trump's unlawful efforts to deport millions of people.
Miguel is my best friend. He is wonderful, kind and humble. We have a beautiful life that includes a successful business, a home, ...Read more

Here’s the Real Cause of Our Growing National Debt
Last Friday, the credit rating of the United States was downgraded. Moody’s, the ratings firm, announced that the U.S. government’s rising debt levels will grow further if the Trump Republican package of new tax cuts is enacted. This makes lending to the United States riskier.
(Moody’s is the third of three major credit-rating agencies to...Read more

Trump Embraces South Africans — the White Ones
President Trump’s refugee policy reminds me of what automaker Henry Ford supposedly said about his company’s Model T:
“A customer can have a car painted any color he wants as long as it’s black.”
So it is with the Trump administration’s policy toward refugees who are fleeing war or political persecution, albeit with a color ...Read more
Stopping Trump's Qatar Airliner Scam
Eager to accept a luxury airliner from the government of Qatar, President Donald Trump is testing the limits of Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Usually eager to behave like the servile puppies that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) once described with scorn (before becoming one himself), at least a handful of GOP elected officials seem worried that this "...Read more
How Zionism Causes Antisemitism
Antisemitism as we know it has resulted from a complex witch's brew of historical stereotypes, economic resentments, ignorance and political extremism. Antisemites believe that Jewish people "have too much power," "have too much control and influence," and "are more willing than others to use shady practices to get what they want."
A central, ...Read more
One Tech Corporation's Legacy: Lifting Communities and Preserving Land
Washington's "tech bros" dominate the news with how they use their wealth to influence politics. It's easy to forget that some leaders of industry actually use their success to contribute to causes with an eye on the greater good. I'm not just talking about billionaires such as Bill Gates, who recently announced that his foundation will give ...Read more
Sleazin' on a Jet Plane
When I was much younger than I am right now, I got a new job.
I'd been out of work for a while before I got the job, but I had some freelance work and some money in the bank, and I lived cheap.
A small number of people worked there, and it was at least a little cozy, and I was new in town.
And I wasn't there too long before it was almost ...Read more

Leo XIV: A worthy successor to Pope Francis
“ Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam.”
“I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope.” On Thursday, May 8, 2025 with that famous Latin formula, the whole world learned that the College of Cardinals had elected a new pope to succeed Pope Francis.
Ending my six-week sabbatical in Europe, I was in St. Peter’s Square that ...Read more
The Political Message from Omaha Should Be Obvious
As I flew into Omaha for the first time, the only thing visible from my descending plane was cornfields. You could even see the tassels. I was wondering, where is the city?
There certainly was a city, with a world-class medical center, famous zoo and great nightlife. Old school steakhouses mixed with Persian and Asian restaurants. Anyone who ...Read more