It’s been a while. Watching so much happen in our country, so quickly and so badly makes writing about our current situation really challenging. Our various problems all relate to one another in nuanced (and sometimes not so nuanced) ways...
Capital Gains Taxes Start Gaining
Whoever controls the Biden administration (I harbor serious doubts it’s Joe Biden OR Kamala Harris) sure wants to pull every lever marked “do not touch” as fast as possible right now. One big move proposes doubling the capital gains tax...
The Biggest American Con
We live in a time one might understatedly describe as “disconcerting.” We pursue policies similar to those that presaged the fall of great civilizations of the past. We impose rules and restrictions straight out of dystopian fiction. We defame facts...
My Broad Concern about a Democratic Surge
Ok… this topic typically puts people instantly into a defensive posture. But my goal is to present things in a way that allows people to see things from a different perspective than usual to build independence of thought. I can’t...
Voting Isn’t Magic
If I see or hear one more message telling me to vote, I may lose my mind. The only thing worse? Hearing, “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.” What!? Imagine a school class being told they all get a...
The Funny Thing About Tyranny and Why it Suddenly Matters
Tyranny is definitely worth thinking about now and again. After all, throughout history it’s ended and destroyed more human lives than any other human-made force or movement. Even war – which gets a runner-up trophy in this crummy contest –...
On Dangerous Ground
The tagline of Strongly Worded is, “Big Issues Deserve Better Discussions.” I thought that was decidedly true last year, so imagine my dismay with America 2020. I started this blog because I believe nearly any problem can be solved or...
Identity Politics in the Garden of Good and Evil
Today’s overwhelming identity politics are truly abysmal for all but about 12 Americans who gain political power through them. We are so busy these days parsing people by race, gender, sexual orientation and (especially) political party that we’ve lost sight...
Of Fear and Febreze
Today’s unusual environment has me thinking a lot about Febreze commercials. Specifically, the ones where they talk about nose-blindness. In case you’re unfamiliar, the general concept is your house definitely smells awful to everyone who sets foot inside, but you...
Health vs. Wealth, You Say?
My vote for dumbest debate of the Corona Crisis? While it’s a pretty heated contest, I think the winner is this “health vs. wealth” nonsense. I know, I know… it rhymes, which is usually a sign of something super-profound, but...
Scary vs. Dangerous
What scares us and what’s actually dangerous are often very different things. Forgetting that can lead to tragic results. Despite that, in scary times, even smart people can be heard justifying knee-jerk responses by repeating the unhelpful adage, “It’s better...
A Love Letter to Doubt
Dear Doubt, I remember when we first met. We were in a class and it was actually quite awkward. We were covering something I KNEW had an obvious answer. Heck, everybody in the class knew the answer was obvious. Then,...
Are Billionaires Bad?
One of the more foolish concepts ever to get widespread and longstanding traction is the animosity between “classes.” Don’t get me wrong here, if you lived as a serf during medieval feudalism, I have your back on this one. But...
Let’s Be Careful What We Wish For
Over the holidays I read an article that really reminded me just how differently people can view the world and their place in it. Given my existential response to the content of the article, I’m sure you’ve already guessed… it...
Truth, Lies, Rodents and Society
When our kids were young, my wife and I discussed what might happen if we picked a couple things to casually – but consistently – teach them improperly in order to mess with them. Nothing major, mind you, just something...
The Secret of Two “Thank Yous”
Here’s an easy question… what do you say when someone says, “Thank you?” Hopefully this one’s a layup. You say, “You’re welcome.” But something weird struck me once. When you buy something at a store you say, “thank you.” Then,...
A Quick Look at this American Socialist Moment
Well, socialism seems reincarnated in America in 2019. People talk about it as a credible idea, sometimes throwing the word “Democratic” in front of it for good measure. It’s fascinating. First off, let’s be clear… words’ meanings change over time,...
What Kind of Person Hates the Phrase, “Give Back!?” You Probably Already Know.
So, I was making a presentation the other day, and someone asked a question about Bill Gates, wealth distribution and giving back. I immediately told the audience, “I hate the phrase give back.” You know the oft-repeated movie scene where...
Do We Need an Awakening from Wokeness?
In America’s political climate today, one’s answer to this question likely depends almost exclusively on your political affiliation. Republican answer? Hell yes, we do! Democrat answer? You obviously hate the under-privileged! But wokeness represents too strong a force in American...