Federal-state relations have reached a new low. Previously, I have shown how the powers of one-time sovereign states have been worn away by the federal government. Finally, in reacting to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Trump administration has treated the states almost as if they were foreign governments. The problem is rooted in the belief that […]
The U.S. Supreme Court is clearly divided on the issue of abortion rights. Five justices, considered to be conservatives, do not favor the right to an abortion. This right was not established by Congress; it is embodied in the Roe v. Wade decision. Four justices, considered to be liberals, support Roe v. Wade. The Court […]
Since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the term “systemic racism” has come into wide usage. To many people, this term may seem both new and confusing. Yet, if opposition to it can be sustained, it could bring a basic and far-reaching change in attitudes and action on race relations. Racism itself is obviously […]
Covid-19 is a bad dream, and we’ll soon wake up. That is the false claim of President Trump and many of his top supporters who say that we are already emerging from that dream and should get on with life as it was before our coronavirus nightmare. Vice President Pence has been trying to sell […]
The biggest issue in the November elections may not be Trump or Biden. It could be about voting itself. Whether votes will be counted fairly is turning into a major national argument, but a combination of Maine voting and corporate balloting provide an answer. The Republican Party has been remarkably open about its efforts to […]
A boy sat in church, looking up at the chandelier as it swayed in the breeze. It seemed always to take the same time to go from one end of its swing to the other, no matter how far it traveled. To turn idle observation into proven fact, he knew he needed hard evidence. He […]
The pot is calling the kettle black. An echo of that old saying was heard last week. Maine House Republican legislative leaders attacked Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, for refusing to make Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman available to a legislative committee. They said they were “stunned.” Maine has encountered serious difficulties in getting unemployment payments […]
The U.S. now stands at an historic moment. Three major issues, cutting to the core of the country, are at stake. From the arrival of the first African slaves four centuries ago, Americans have grappled unsuccessfully with relations between the black and white races. Neither the Civil War nor the civil rights movement produced a […]
We couldn’t have been fully prepared for Covid-19. But the virus might have been less deadly, no matter how little medical science knew about it, if government had been better prepared for a major crisis. The worst events always seem to be a surprise. Apparently, legislators cut spending on preparedness for relatively rare events. In […]
There is no constitutional right to go shopping. There is a constitutional right to freedom from extended “lock down” by executive order. Protective measures imposed by almost all state governors to fight Covid-19 squarely placed the U.S. Constitution in the middle of the crisis. Governors adopted mandatory closures, stay-at-home rules and the use of face […]
