Time to Think

The Complex  Middle East                                                            #346 By Hank Silverberg   Commentary  Israel Helps The Druze Israel has been vilified in parts of the media and in parts of Europe for the continued war in Gaza, which remains a disaster for those who live in that enclave. It is still controlled by Hamas, a political and military group that continues to hold Israelis hostage and has never really cared for its own people and has in fact killed many of them. But Israel has been a force for stability in that region for decades and has continued to seek peace with its neighbors. That has been met with hostility both political and violent.   In the Middle East, right and wrong are not simple.  This week for example, came another twist in the region's complex reality.    ...

  Freedom of the Press                                                                                     #345 By Hank Silverberg  Commentary   They show up on the street, faces covered, wearing bullet proof vests, uniforms that say "police," but have no visible badges. Who are they?  Chances are, it's an attempt by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest illegal immigrants. As a reporter or a bystander,  you may hear about it and go investigate. But don't expect to get much cooperation. In fact, they will tell you to go away and threaten you with arrest if you don't comply. That's not the way it's supposed to w ork.  The Press is the public's watch dog. We are there to witness and report what our leaders and their minions are doing ...

Surprised?                                              #344 By Hank Silverberg  Commentary  The One Big Beautiful Bill is now the law--all 1,116 page of it. I doubt any congress member or senator has actually read it, and I am certain Donald Trump has not, because everyone knows he never reads anything.  Some people across the country who liked this bill are going to be surprised. And I suspect some member of Congress are going to be surprised as well when they see how it plays out in their district.  Many people were thrilled to hear that there will be no more taxes on tips or overtime, though there is a $25,000 cap. If they read the fine print they will see that part of the bill is good for only three years, sunsetting after the 2026 mid-term elections. Some seniors may be pleased they will be getting a bit more in their Social Security checks, until ...

  Birthright                                          #343 By Hank Silverberg   Commentary U.S. Constitution Fourteenth Amendment   Section 1 All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. There really is no room for interpretation here. And let's be clear, the U. S. Supreme Court decision this past week did NOT do away with Birthright Citizenship. The ruling simply said that Federal District Courts can not impose a nationwide injunction on ANY issue...

  War?                                                             #342 By Hank Silverberg   Commentary:  The attack on Iran's nuclear facilities was inevitable. The Israelis and the U.S. have been talking about it for years, even while they negotiated with Iran over getting rid of its nuclear program and imposed sanctions as a penalty for not doing so.  The threat of an Islamic bomb has hung over that region of the world since the 1980's and was heightened after Pakistan produced one. But Pakistan's action was mainly to counter India's creation of a bomb and not aimed at Israel or the west.  Ronald Reagan bombed Muhammar Kaddafi's headquarters and other targets in 1986, in part because Kaddafi was supposed to be working on a nuclear weapon and presented a threat to world stability.  It has been talk...