Politics

May 13, 2022

One of my closest friends is a pilot for United Airlines…I’ve asked him multiple times, in all his years flying, whether he had ever come across an unidentified flying object (UFO) or some other unexplained phenomenon. His answer has always been, “No.” Still, the intrigue over UFOs has not dissipated in Washington, and next week, a House Intelligence subcommittee will hold open hearings on the subject.

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April 8, 2022

Today’s ‘thought of the week’ is not so much a thought but a question, or more accurately, a series of questions. There’s no doubt that economic and geopolitical issues will be top of mind for voters in the coming mid-term elections, but cultural questions, both new and old, are sure to garner attention as well. With an eye to energizing their bases, conservatives and progressives see little downside to fanning polarizing issues.

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March 25, 2022

Although policy and politics never seem to take a break in Washington—think the ongoing debate over additional Russia sanctions, the first Federal Reserve interest rate increase in three years, and Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings to name just a few—the conclusions of the Democrat and Republican Congressional issues’ retreats and the upcoming release of the President’s budget offer something of a spring reset before Congress begins its sprint to the month-long August recess and mid-term election campaign. The reset is akin to the symbolism of rebirth associated with the cherry blossom, which reached peak bloom in Washington earlier this week.

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March 11, 2022

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to present to the latest group of Sumitomo-sponsored Tomodachi scholars. Although this year’s presentation had to be virtual, in year’s past this group of students has visited Washington, touring such iconic landmarks as the White House, the Capitol complex, and the Pentagon, where each was presented with a Challenge Coin by Defense Secretary Ashton Carter himself. It was refreshing to be in front of such a curious, idealistic group again being challenged and questioned on a range of public policy issues. In brief, their questions revolved around the difficulty in passing legislation, the purpose of lobbying, and the role of consultants; with the brief answers being legislation is difficult to pass by design; lobbying is largely education; and even lobbyists need to build their networks continually…

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