We get exactly the leaders we deserve

I’m of the belief that our political system is broken. Until we get rid of gerrymandering and big money in politics, we won’t have a government that truly reflects the will of the people. I think this opinion has support from all political persuasions. That said, we can stick our heads in the sand or…

A nod to Julián Castro

Julián Castro is a former HUD Secretary and a Democratic candidate for president of the United States. He also happens to be Latino, so of course I should support him—and I do. The truth is that Julián is a long shot. The Texas native comes from humble beginnings, but he and his twin brother Joaquín…

We don’t need saviors

Late Friday the world received news that the Robert Mueller report was completed and sent to the Attorney General for review. Before anyone other than the justice department has seen any of the report or its primary conclusions, the speculation has been all over the place. Fox News is saying the report has vindicated the…

Breakfast with a Billionaire

Last week, my friend Earl Watson arranged a breakfast meeting for me to meet with Starbucks founder, Howard Schultz. Watson and Armando Tam were also in attendance. Earl Watson’s relationship with Schultz goes back to when Schultz owned the Seattle Supersonics, the NBA team that drafted him out of UCLA. Schultz later sold the team…

Whose economy is it?

Unemployment is low and the stock market is rising. Two of our primary indicators of how the economy is faring. Trump supporters say that it is the result of the president’s tax policy and curtailment of governmental regulations. Obama supporters say it is just the continuation of eight straight years of growth that began in…

The history of government shutdowns

Most of you have probably heard by now that the 35-day government shutdown is over, at least for now. Congress and the President agreed to open the government for three weeks so that government employees can get paid while our elected officials can continue to negotiate a federal budget. What you probably don’t know is…

Hip Hop stars weigh in on politics

Many of you have probably seen the personal videos on the government shutdown posted by Cardi B and Snoop Dogg on Instagram. I am not providing links because the language is a bit harsh, even for me. After watching the videos, I must admit, I came away with a better understanding of why these two…

A Wall or Not a Wall

As of this writing, the government is in the midst of the longest self-imposed shut down in history. Approximately 800,000 workers are out of work or going without pay, national parks are closed, and all “non-essential” government services are on hold. The reason for the shutdown is because the government does not have an approved…