Gary Acosta’s Weekly Blog

Almost everyone, including Democrats, were expecting last Tuesday’s midterm election results to heavily favor Republicans. Many predicted a “red wave” where they would pick up 50-60 seats in the House and 3-4 in the Senate. Joe Rogan said the red wave that is coming will be like the elevator doors opening in the horror film The Shining.

For most people, there is little upside to writing about the January 6th hearings, but as you probably know by now, I don’t worry about those things. We all must stand for something. The hearings have almost everyone taking sides before a single witness is called. Democrats believe that the events of January 6th were a calculated effort to undermine our democracy by demolishing two of the most sacred tenants of our nation, free elections, and the peaceful transition of power.

Most people consider themselves either a conservative or a liberal. I think if we forget political parties, which flip their positions on things all of the time, and instead focus on the actual definition of what it means to be a conservative and what it means to be a liberal, we might be able to temper the emotional reactions some of us have with political discourse.

If you’re the type of person who thinks the people who oppose your political viewpoints are evil and secretly hate America, this blog is probably not for you. But if you are someone who is distressed by the divisions in our country, remember: regardless of where you stand politically, the enemy isn’t conservatism or liberalism…

I watched the movie The Green Book last night. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. It is a true story set in 1962 about a Black-American classical pianist and his Italian-American bodyguard traveling in the South while on tour. For some reason the movie really hit me hard. It is the kind of story…

Joe Biden will soon take over the reins of the United States government which is currently under more stress and turmoil than any time before. Solving the nation’s immediate problems will require every ounce of our intellectual capital and a strategic apportionment of our financial resources. While most Americans have confidence that Biden will be…

Somebody once told me that you get power by giving power and you get respect by giving respect. On election night, I posted a statement on Facebook that said Latino voters delivered Florida for Trump, and Arizona for Biden (I may have been premature on the latter). The post received 143 comments and included a…

My vote in this election will mark the tenth time that I have voted in a presidential election. Ronald Reagan was the first candidate I ever voted for, and I still remember the feeling of power that I felt when I punched a hole next to his name. I didn’t know much about politics at…

Rapper turned actor, Ice Cube, created a little controversy last week by working with the Trump Campaign on something he calls “The Platinum Plan, Contract with Black America”. So, if you’re wondering what I think about, here are my thoughts. I appreciate the idea, but the execution was a disaster. I like Ice Cube, he…

There is a strong quote from the early 20th Century that illustrates how economics and politics are inseparable. It goes something like this: “The worst illiterate is the political illiterate. He (the political illiterate) doesn’t hear, speak, or participate in political events. He doesn’t know that the cost of life, the price of food, rent,…

Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro was the only Latino presidential candidate in 2020. Further, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has more social media followers and name recognition than Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer combined; AOC was given a mere 90 seconds at the DNC Convention, less time than Sally Yates (who?), and Julián Castro…well, he wasn’t invited…

The country is a mess right now. Political fanatism has ended friendships, broken families and divided this country more than ever. While we may not all agree on how we got here, most of us agree that the country is in big trouble unless we can reverse this unfortunate trend. Some people deal with the…

While slowing the spread of COVID-19 should be everyone’s priority, the economic well-being of our communities is also vital. NAHREP sent a letter to the President, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that advocated for homeowners and renters in distress, small business owners and consumers struggling financially. The letter was also…

The latest polls show Bernie Sanders opening us a double-digit lead over his democratic rivals and with his big win in Nevada, momentum seems to be building. Donald Trump and his supporters appear to be delighted by this. I assume because they think Sanders would be the easiest Democrat to beat in a general election. Sounds eerily familiar.

The Academy Awards has a long history of being a place where celebrities share their political views and this year was no exception. Joaquin Phoenix won the Oscar for Best Actor for his brilliant performance in Joker. He used his time on stage to make his case for the environment and the treatment of animals.…

In our current hyper-polarized political environment, I don’t think many people were surprised that Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives and acquitted by the Senate. Now that it’s over, and Trump is taking a victory lap, the question at this point is how does any of this affect the 2020 presidential election and…

Former HUD Secretary, Julián Castro ended his presidential campaign last week with an announcement simply stating that it was clearly not his time. While Castro never polled beyond four percent, he ran an outstanding campaign – doing especially well in the debates he was able to participate in.