May 18, 2025 (updated March 5, 2026)
Dear Reader,
Now, who am I, you’re probably wondering, to be so sure of myself that I can spew these commentaries?
And to be so arrogant, if that’s what you’re thinking?
Well, I’ve been around politics a bit. For one thing, I’ve been a Democrat longer than 74% of the U.S. population has been alive. So you can expect the perspective of a progressive who is older, and, if not wiser, at least a lot more experienced.
I’ve worked in high policy positions on U.S. Senate staffs (both for individudal senators and on committee staffs). I’ve written a few federal laws. By “I’ve written,” I mean they came right off my typewriter back when we used typewriters. And I participated in the creation of a lot of other laws and policies.
I’ve been in the room with five presidents (Nixon, Carter, Ford, Bush Jr., and Biden; not all were president at the time, and in a couple of those instances, the room was a big one, the Senate or House chamber). Shook hands with one (Carter), watched another one walk into a press conference with his hands shaking (Nixon).
I’ve covered government for daily newspapers, the Associated Press, and a number of other news publications, as recently as the prior Trump administration. I won business journalism awards. I’m a persistent researcher.
I’ve worked on three elections for national office, one winning and two losing.
Losing is painful but offers much better lessons.
This was hardest and most important lesson to learn:
The voters didn’t see us as the righteous warriors we thought we were. We should have listened more closely. And we should have adopted some of the other side’s best (I mean meanest) campaign strategies and tactics.
That is, I’ve been there and done that. I know my way around Washington, government policy, and politics. My strength, if any, is integrating policy and politics to figure out what must and can be done.
Enough about me. I suggest that you read this post next, if you haven’t already: