Should the United States issue a formal apology for slavery?

by Dick Brooks on 5/9/2008 10:56:02 AM

Some of us believe that this has already been done. It was called the Civil War or the War Between the States. Actions speak louder than words. Of what value, would a formal apology be , to descendants of slaves? Just how would it impact their lives today? There are at least 3 areas, other than sla... Continue »

Are the Vanity Fair photos featuring Miley Cyrus appropriate?

by Dick Brooks on 5/8/2008 9:40:04 PM

The only arguments  in favor of this photo shoot of a child, displayed in a grown-up sophisticated magazine, might be that there was very little flesh shown, and after all, this is the 21st century. That is precisely the point. For heavens sake, this is still a kid, and a wholesome one at that, even... Continue »

Are arts programs an essential part of education?

by Dick Brooks on 5/8/2008 2:29:57 PM

Tighter budgets, in many school districts, have impelled the elimination of arts programs. The logic is that reading, writing, and arithmetic are the basic building blocks. Any other studies are optional. In my opinion, this view is narrow, and does not encompass what a well-rounded liberal educati... Continue »

Should the U.S. government increase the national gas mileage standard?

by Dick Brooks on 5/7/2008 9:29:17 PM

The government has a consistent record of proposing solutions to problems, without thinking through the possibility of other problems being created. This is popularly known as the law of unintended consequences. Recent examples include the ethanol disaster and its impact on food supply, the McCain-... Continue »

Will Barack Obama's association with Jeremiah Wright prevent him from winning the Democratic nomination?

by Dick Brooks on 5/6/2008 3:45:22 PM

It might not have, if Obama had handled it properly. Unfortunately, when the matter first came to public awareness, Obama chose to dissemble by saying he had never heard any of the anti-American, or antisemitic remarks by Wright. Since the Obamas had been in the church for 2 decades, it was inconcei... Continue »

Will the U.S. economy go into recession in 2008?

by Dick Brooks on 5/6/2008 3:14:21 PM

Keep in mind, that recession is defined statistically. It means 2 consecutive quarters of negative growth. Therefore, it is easy to see that people may feel like they are experiencing recession, even though they are not in one technically. The current situation may well be such a time. We are on the... Continue »

Is Roger Federer the greatest tennis player of all time?

by Dick Brooks on 5/4/2008 11:13:27 AM

It seems like he can already be considered as worthy of ranking among the top ten male players in history. However, to rate him as number one , is premature for several reasons. First, his career has at least several good years ahead. His future performance will likely determine how far up the all-... Continue »

Do people in the U.S. have the right to freely choose and practice a religion, or to have no religion at all?

by Dick Brooks on 5/4/2008 10:30:42 AM

The First Amendment to the Constitution gives us  freedom of religion. In actual practice, there appear to be two kinds of violations or distortions of this right. One by government, and the other by private parties. The government has distorted this right, by reading into the First Amendment, a do... Continue »

Do news outlets create issues to boost viewership?

by Dick Brooks on 4/30/2008 11:38:03 AM

Viewership is the lifeblood of TV outlets. This factor is significant, not only in attracting the largest number of advertisers, but also the rate that can be charged for commercials. Competition is fierce for the advertising dollar. Less than a generation ago, there were only the three broadcast n... Continue »

Should public displays of religious content be permitted?

by Dick Brooks on 4/30/2008 11:08:10 AM

They are already permitted, under the proper conditions. These include prior approval of reasonable displays, and offering the same privileges to other religious groups. The issue question arises from a misinterpretation of the First Amenment. The government does not promote a particular religous g... Continue »

Do national issues play a decisive role in congressional elections?

by Dick Brooks on 4/28/2008 9:01:23 PM

The convential wisdom is that local concerns are the decisive factors in determining winners in congressional races. People are interested in what their congressman can do in Washington, to help the folks back home. The most obvious, as well as the most blatant, example of this process occurs in wha... Continue »

How realistic are the predictions of An Inconvenient Truth?

by Dick Brooks on 4/27/2008 8:56:09 PM

Some of the asserted facts need to be examined first, so that we have some idea as to the credibility of future predictions. Unfortunately, we are confronted with the implausible statements of drowning polar bears and melting glaciers. Ironically, the prediction of a temperate Greenland does happen ... Continue »

Will the Bush Administration stimulus package prevent a recession?

by Dick Brooks on 4/26/2008 9:28:33 PM

The so-called stimulus program was fatally flawed from its conception. The idea was, that since consumers accounted for 70% of our economy, if they were given more money to increase their consumption, it would stimulate the economy. However, the stimulus money was created, not by greater production... Continue »

Should undecided superdelegates declare their preference for the Democratic presidential nominee before the convention?

by Dick Brooks on 4/25/2008 9:23:22 PM

The superdelegates will do what they think is in their own interest. Bear in mind, many of these so-called superdelegates will also be up for election. The electability of the presidential candidate will determine their own political survival. Right now, many of the superdelegates are scared to dea... Continue »

What effect will oil prices have on the economy?

by Dick Brooks on 4/25/2008 11:06:13 AM

The answer, in one word, is devastating. The issue question contains the word will. The future is now, oil prices are already having an impact on the economy. People are cutting back on their driving, wherever they can. State governments are complaining about reductions in revenue from gasoline tax... Continue »