Time to Think

Lessons From History                      #180 By Hank Silverberg I am reading a very interesting book right now. It's historical fiction, but the authors of "My Dear Hamilton," Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, assure their readers that the historical content of the book is as accurate as it could be. They say only the dialogue is made up. (Courtesy of the Portrait Gallery)  Alexander Hamilton, for sure, is one of the most misunderstood members of our founding fathers. The book, told from the perspective of his wife Eliza,  may give Mr. Hamilton more credit for the founding of our nation than most people would think he deserves.   But research will bare out his key role in drafting  the U.S. Constitution and in creating the strong federal government we have today. He was a confidant of George Washington and the author of many of the Federalist Papers that were used to gain support for ratifying that doc...

Why The "Right" Is Wrong              #179                        By Hank Silverberg   Flash! The right-wing is consistently wrong about what Americans want and how Americans think.  This week, Republicans, egged on by the annoying and misinformed right-wing of their party, have called again for the resignation of one of America's pandemic heroes, Dr. Anthony Fauci from the CDC.  They have criticized American athletes headed for the Olympics for doing something every American has the right to do-- protest injustice. And here in Virginia the right- wing is asking for an investigation of Dr. Larry Sabato from the University of Virginia's Center for Politics for doing part of his job--talking about politics.   Virginia GOP Demands Investigation of Professor for Anti-Trump Tweets (msn.com) I personally know both of these men. Dr. Fauci has served his countr...

Will The Experiment Work?                     #178 By Hank Silverberg Happy Birthday, America! The Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress on July 2nd, 1776, announced on July 4th and finally read to the public on the steps of Independence Hall on July 8th, making this "Independence Week". The document was a formula for a vast experiment in human nature--an experiment that is still underway. Everyone who signed the Declaration over that hot Philadelphia summer was aware of that. After the approval vote, when Benjamin Franklin was asked  by a citizen what type of government they had created, he notably said:  "A Republic! If we can keep it!" Franklin's warning still taunts us today. The Declaration is certainly a remarkable document. "All men are created equal," it declared. "...endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights...among these are Life, Liberty and the p...