Power concedes nothing without demand. Those in government who currently wield the power of crafting legislation and have done nothing in the face of the crisis generated by mass school shootings were served notice on Saturday. A genuine grassroots movement is on the rise and their collective voices demanding action to reign in gun violence…
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The bottom line question for all voters in 2018
As most regular readers have noticed, there is a stock in trade of what gets published on this blog. For the most part, the stock in trade of Reason Rest Stop is information. There may be an occasional humorous story or a run down of an entertainment event or a book or movie review, but…
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A rising Democratic tsunami
Oklahoma’s own Will Rogers once pointed out as only a political pundit of his stature could: “Conditions win elections and not speeches.” As anyone with a thorough knowledge and understanding of the history of American politics will tell you, there has always been an element of contentious polarization from the beginning of the Republic to…
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Ending the safeguarded impunity of one industry
Some regular readers may recall more than a couple of instances when I have rhetorically alluded to “stacking up the bodies” in reference to government deregulating industry with reckless abandon. Even as you read this the stack of bodies from American mass shootings continues to grow. To remain positive while writing this I really have…
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The heartbreak of failed leadership
Having served in the Navy as long as I did, I learned a few things about leadership. I remember receiving an intense hands-on tutorial on the subject in my early enlisted days. I have the direct authority of front line superiors to thank for those valuable lessons. Some of those mid grade and senior NCOs…
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The horror of normalizing chaos government
We are nearly four and a half months away from being a mere three years removed from the emergence of the ultimate political chaos candidate announcing his intent to seek the nation’s highest office. As a political novice who had previously never been elected to anything, he managed to turn convention on its head by…
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The Moody Blues: 50 years of future passed
As I have stated on several occasions previous, music that touches the soul and inspires the spirit forms a tapestry that serves as the backdrop of life. Few things arouse the senses as thoroughly as a live performance of by an artist and group that has been an integral part of one’s daily auditory escape…
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USS Pueblo Incident + 50: An unresolved issue with North Korea
The more things change the more they stay the same. That particular aphorism may be wearing pretty thin of late but it sure fits this particular anniversary. Members of the “below 50” demographic may remember reading or hearing about it in the Cold War chapter of a high school U.S. History course. Yours Truly was…
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Capturing progressive inertia
Is it ever too early to begin thinking about and planning for what may lie ahead? The future is upon us and the time to plan for it is the here and now. I have always been pretty hit-or-miss when endeavoring at matters involving what might happen on the timeline forward of the present. I…
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Endings, beginnings, aspirations and expectations
This week as I transitioned into living in 2018, I experienced a deep and visceral sensation that I am sitting stationary on a huge existential conveyor belt being slowly but forever pulled forward on a great master timeline. So many times in my life the month of January has been one of endings and beginnings,…
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