Public Policy

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…

I’ve never been to war, but that doesn’t mean that parts of my life haven’t been shaped by it. My mother’s side of the family, the Italian side, immigrated to the U.S. as a matter of life and death at the outset of World War II. A first cousin, suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related to his tours of duty in Vietnam, eventually took his own life. And my own connection to veterans stationed at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center led me to co-found a non-profit to support those American service men and women wounded or injured in support of the global war on terrorism. While the remainder of this blog concentrates on some of the economic and policy issues associated with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we, as a company, should not lose focus that there is a very real human component to war that should not be forgotten.

uper Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals wasn’t decided until there were less than two minutes left in the contest, with Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp winning the game’s most valuable player (MVP) award. While it’s hard to argue that he didn’t deserve it, cases for the award could have also been made for Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald or even quarterback Matthew Stafford. Regardless of the winner, the voting process used by the NFL was more than odd in that ballots were cast before the game was even over.

recently came across the movie The Breakfast Club. Simple Minds’ lyrics from the film—“Don’t you, forget about me…Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t…Don’t you, forget about me”—immediately take me back.  We’ve all felt it. That pining for bygone days. A desire to return to the way things were. Nostalgia typically ascends with warm feelings, from a cherished memory, an aroma, or even favorite song. But that deep feeling of familiarity and belonging can also shape-shift into longing, loss, or frustrated desire. Nostalgia often melds both the positive and negative, and that’s what I heard in Rep. Stephanie Murphy’s (D-FL) voice as she addressed an intimate group of lobbyists and analysts, organized by the global strategy firm Capstone DC, to give a moderate’s take on the 2022 legislative agenda.

Thought of the Week: You know it’s a warm day in February when a D.C.-based government affairs analyst feels that Washington, and national politics, may have finally “jumped the shark.” For those of you who don’t know, “jumping the shark” comes from the classic television series Happy Days. During a late episode in that show’s

Thought of the Week: My fourth grade teacher, Mr. Liu, used to say his favorite subject was Lunch and Recess. Unlike most of the staff, he ate lunch in the cafeteria with the students, not in the faculty lounge, and brought his basketball every day there was outdoor recess. Mr. Liu was famous for his

Thought of the Week: I used to love the Winter Olympics. I’ll never forget Franz Klammer’s gold medal run during the 1976 Innsbruck Olympics. A 10 year old at the time, the dramatic downhill race was what inspired me to learn how to ski. I’ll also never forget exactly where I was for the “Miracle

Thought of the Week: I’m on a text chain with a bunch of golf buddies. We generally talk about the important things in life—the PGA Tour, the NFL playoffs, and our Draft Kings lineups. As you can imagine, at times, the discussion turns to politics, the economy, and the pandemic. Earlier this week, one string

Thought of the Week: Have you made your New Year’s resolution yet? Wait, let me guess: eat better, get more exercise, and knock a couple items off your bucket list…oh yeah, and be more mindful of others. Right? Me too. This year, when cruising the Internet for a new, novel resolution, I came across an

Thought of the Week: My wife isn’t into politics. Like many Americans, she pays attention every four years during those crucial months between Labor Day and Election Day. As the Creative Director for a major health care company, a martial artist, and most importantly, a mother, she doesn’t have the time, nor the interest, to