He was a quietly wonderful man with a quick sense of humor, and when he laughed, he would cover his mouth — a gentle, self-conscious habit to hide his teeth. He loved the opera. Born in Philadelphia in 1892, he was the son of a German-Jewish immigrant. Growing up, I had never really considered his […]
A reflection on accountability, deterrence, and the erosion of standards in public service. In the summer of 1779, George Washington wrote to Maj. Gen. Robert Howe about how hard it was to find trustworthy men near enemy lines. Few people, he warned, had the virtue to withstand “the highest bidder.” A year later, Benedict Arnold […]
Two polls fielded this July by HarrisX tell us much that we need to know about where the public stands on artificial intelligence. The first, a HarrisX national survey from July, found that 56% of voters view AI favorably, and 71% consider it the beginning of a new industrial revolution. The second, the Harvard CAPS/Harris […]
“Next week, AIPAC is set to spend at least $3,847,990 against me,” Abdul el Sayed complained during his successful Democratic Senate primary campaign in Michigan. “Why? Because [Haley Stevens] is more committed to the future of a foreign country than keeping your tax dollars here to provide schools and healthcare for you and your kids.” […]
THE NEXT SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA. On Tuesday, voters in South Carolina will choose a Republican nominee for the Senate to replace Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died of heart problems on July 11. There’s a good chance the race will go to a runoff, which will happen on Aug. 25. There are several declared candidates, but three […]
The press is supposed to be instant replay, not the cheerleading squad. In American politics, the people are the NFL audience. We invest our money in franchise swag and tickets. The opposing teams’ ownerships are the political parties that divide the big championship money in the playoffs. The media should be referees with honest instant […]
President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order directing temporary warning signs outside the Smithsonian‘s National Museum of American History, advising visitors that some exhibits may present a distorted account of America’s past. The order follows a White House report — released, pointedly, on July 4 — questioning whether the museum has drifted from its […]
Peter Stein, the so-called “Boss of the Beach,” now collecting a $570,000 pension after careers with the Department of Education and Parks Department, is...
