michael kurth »
2014: THE YEAR IN REVIEW
A number of notable events occurred last year, most of them not particularly good. Here is my recap of what I consider the most significant. The year began with the legalization of recreational marijuana
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The PLUMMETING PRICE OF OIL
The week I wrote this column, several gas stations around town were selling gasoline for $2.39 a gallon. The reason for the lower price is that oil has fallen from $115 a barrel last
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Gifts You Won’t Find In Stores
Each year, I write a column about Christmas gifts that are not found in any store, or even on any website. For example, Christmas came early this year for five million undocumented workers, when
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Republicans Capture The Senate
According to the polls, the midterm elections were supposed to be real nail-biters, as Republicans tried to wrest control of the U.S. Senate from Harry Reid and the Democrats. Instead, Republicans swept to victory
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Ballooning, Bungling Beauracracy
The biggest problem plaguing our federal government is ballooning bureaucracy and bureaucratic bungling. The latest scandal to hit the public eye is the ineptness of the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and its lack
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How Dangerous Is Ebola?
Epidemics, pandemics and plagues have played a huge role in the history of mankind, but, in this age of modern medicine, the danger posed by viruses has often been overlooked or considered a thing
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Rational Ignorance: Why Voters Are Not Better Informed
Democracy may be a great political system, but it is not perfect. One of its flaws is what economists call “rational ignorance,” which some have dubbed “the dumb voter theorem.” The premise is simple:
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Obama’s Foreign Policy: Lessons In The Art Of Obfuscation
For the past month, most Americans have been outraged over the beheadings of two U.S. citizens — James Foley and Steven Sokoloff — by ISIL (AKA the Islamic State). Americans wanted our president to
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My 50th High School Reunion
Fifty years ago, I was one of 872 students who graduated from Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw, Mich. Born in 1946, I and my fellow students were the vanguard of the baby boom.
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The Louisiana Senate Race: Can Republicans Close The Youth Gap?
On Nov. 4, voters in 36 states will go to the polls to choose a U.S. senator. Republicans currently control the House, but Democrats hold the Senate. The result is congressional gridlock. But if
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