Can someone please tell me what’s the plan for this country? Yes, I understand that giving it over to corporate interests by cutting taxes, repealing legislation that keeps the air and water clean, and allowing certain industries to both police and investigate themselves, is just what Republicans do when they gain power, but where are… Continue reading The Second Time As Farce
Author: Robert I. Grundfest
I am a teacher, writer, voice-over artist and rationally opinionated observer of American and international society. While my job is to entertain and engage, my purpose is always to start a conversation.
The Fierce Resistance: Public Workers Have Had Enough
I’m sure you remember this old saw: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. I’m sure that there are some reaction deniers out there, but for the most part this is settled science. And that’s exactly why those who see the end of public unions, or indeed unions in general, in their… Continue reading The Fierce Resistance: Public Workers Have Had Enough
The Strangers In Your Midst and the Fools Who Fear Them
An interesting year, no? The calendar has created a confluence of Passover, Easter and April Fool’s Day, which pretty much covers everyone who lives…everywhere. Which is humbling because this weekend should remind us that we are only as big and smart and compassionate and humane as the weakest among us. The ones with the smallest… Continue reading The Strangers In Your Midst and the Fools Who Fear Them
After the Nor’easters:Trump Caves on the Budget While the Real Storm(y) is on the Horizon
For all the talk about President Trump almost vetoing the Congressional spending bill, what’s lost is that his presidency will likely turn out to be a textbook case of an outsider with no natural political constituency unable to reorder the bureaucracy or scare enough legislators to bend to his will. After all, here is a… Continue reading After the Nor’easters:Trump Caves on the Budget While the Real Storm(y) is on the Horizon
Wasn’t Trump Supposed to be Good at Something?
I would think that the president might be more inclined to support some gun control measures, seeing as how he loves to shoot himself in the foot. How does President Trump think that firing Andrew McCabe or Rod Rosenstein or James Comey or Rex Tillerson is going to make anybody forget the main issues in… Continue reading Wasn’t Trump Supposed to be Good at Something?
The Power of Power
Funny you should ask, but yes, I am sitting in my local public library charging all of my devices because yet again, north central New Jersey is without power. I really thought we had escaped this because the snowstorm hit on Wednesday and we kept our power throughout the driving snow and falling branches. But… Continue reading The Power of Power
If the Children Are to Lead, They Have to Vote
You’ll excuse me if I’m somewhat skeptical, but all this talk about how the young people of this country are going to lead us into a new era where the adults have failed seems vaguely familiar. Many older Americans had the same feelings when the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971 and they… Continue reading If the Children Are to Lead, They Have to Vote
NRA? Forever. NEA? Not Ever
West Virginia Teachers are on strike. Students are being shot in schools. The Secretary of Education self-assesses herself a B+ or A- on her first year of work. Boston University is the latest college to forgive students who are disciplined if they walk out of school on March 14 to demonstrate for school safety. The president and… Continue reading NRA? Forever. NEA? Not Ever
President’s Day: What We Have And What We Need
“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt “My fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy… Continue reading President’s Day: What We Have And What We Need
The Bigger Deficit Is Intellectual
Donald Trump might be the first president to step on his own tax cuts. With February 15 in sight, and most companies ready to use the new tax tables for that payday, the resident philanderer, sexual braggart, pussy-grabber-in-chief has decided that the #MeToo movement might be getting too close to the Oval Office for his comfort. Not… Continue reading The Bigger Deficit Is Intellectual
Panic in Memo Park: The Vindication of Robert Mueller
The good news is that, finally, the president and I agree: The release of the Nunes memo represents a national disgrace and shows that the investigation into the Trump campaign’s relationship with Russian intelligence remains a troubling and possibly illegal action that necessitates Robert Mueller’s continued action. Further, the president and I agree that the memo does vindicate… Continue reading Panic in Memo Park: The Vindication of Robert Mueller
Chris Who? New Jersey Turns Left
Chris Christie said that we would miss him once he’s gone, but I just took that as the final ramblings of someone who, like the president, can’t stand to be out of the public’s eye for even a second and can’t stand the thought that someone else might get credit for…anything. Phil Murphy has now… Continue reading Chris Who? New Jersey Turns Left