On the heels of a terrorism-filled weekend, the spotlight during this presidential campaign season has returned to the sticky question of immigration.

Despite the emotions of a presidential campaign, no one should rejoice in the health issues facing Hillary Clinton.

I'm uncertain if "conventional wisdom" applies to the upcoming presidential election but, if so, then conventional wisdom gives an edge to Hillary Clinton.

Colin Kaepernick did the near-impossible this weekend. In one fell swoop, the struggling NFL quarterback knocked Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton from the headlines and, at the same time, alienated a huge segment of the American public.

If nothing else, the left is predictable.

The somewhat less-than-Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton this week unveiled her latest campaign tactic which involves enlisting young illegal immigrants to mount a voter drive on her behalf. The Clinton campaign is seeking thousands of young volunteers -- the undocumented Dreamers courted by the current President -- to get out the vote even though they themselves are prohibited from voting...

As sad as it may sound, nothing will change following the pesidential election in November. Sure, we'll have new leadership and a major changing of the guard. But on the critical issues that divide this nation, nothing will change. At least not immediately...

As the political season heats up, we are beginning to learn the extent to which the progressive left will stoop to get their way. A massive batch of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee this week revealed an extensive, sophisticated and highly-orchestrated plot to undo the growing success of rogue candidate Bernie Sanders in favor of their anointed hopeful Hillary Clinton...

Given the warp-speed of rapidly changing world events, there is always concern writing a newspaper column two full days in advance to meet a publication deadline. Over this past weekend, as would be expected, I had hoped to focus on the GOP nominating convention...

By any definition, this past week has been both tragic and unsettling in countless ways. Yet by now we have come to reluctantly accept the growing polarization along racial lines that erupted once again this week. Pundits galore have opined with their views on the underlying cause of this division and yet, even in the arena of competing opinions, there remains a deep divide...

Just four short years ago, when Barack Obama was running for re-election, the Democratic Party platform addressed the sticky question of illegal immigration this way: "Undocumented immigrants should 'get right with the law, learn English and pay taxes in order to get on a path to earn citizenship.'"...

Dan Rather was once important. Influential. Respected. Granted, there was that mysterious episode when Rather claimed to be mugged by some strange assailant. But it was Dan Rather and we gave him a pass. Then came along a juicy story about George W. Bush dodging the draft. Though the story had little factual basis, Rather jumped at the bait...

There's a pivotal scene in "The Wizard of Oz" when the "wizard" -- far from a wizard in reality -- is caught hiding behind a curtain and his real identity is about to be discovered. The "wizard" warns Dorothy and her band of followers not to pay attention to what's going on behind the curtain. Of course, Dorothy ignores his warning and uncovers the truth...

Though the outcomes are virtually assured, there remains a final breath in the presidential primary season. Small rumbles still can be heard concerning a potential push-back to Donald Trump on the GOP side and the ever-popular Sen. Bernie Sanders remains optimistic that his voice will be heard on the convention floor...

What should we expect from our federal government? It seems a valid question given the upcoming presidential election and the stark differences in the choices facing Americans this November. At the top of the expectations list should be the protection of the American people. The feds should also -- we would hope -- make decisions and tailor programs that benefit all Americans, not just a few selected special interests...

Most Americans this week hopefully paused and pondered the significance and meaning of Memorial Day. Artist and activist John Sims has a different tradition. The Florida-based civil rights and reparation advocate uses the truly American holiday to push for the removal and destruction of all Confederate flags through his Burn and Bury project. (We'll get to that later.)...

Once again this past week, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus played the race card against opponents of the president's latest progressive scheme. The argument was -- as it has been for the past eight years -- that the president's opponents were racists and prone to oppose the president's policies only because of his skin color...

Once again this past week, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus played the race card against opponents of the president's latest progressive scheme. The argument was -- as it has been for the past eight years -- that the president's opponents were racists and prone to oppose the president's policies only because of his skin color...

Beware of Julian Castro. As Housing Secretary, Castro has become the darling of the far left and the much-rumored vice presidential frontrunner for Hillary Clinton. In what could be the final nail in the coffin fashioned for America by President Obama, this fall Castro will launch the most socially disruptive scheme yet devised...

Let's face it: Many Republicans held out hope that the FBI investigation into the unique email server policy established by Hillary Clinton would result in an indictment and end her run for the White House. Pundits and politicians alike have opined for months on the potential national security threat presented by the private email server put into place with little government knowledge and apparently, less security...

The odd twists and turns of the Republican presidential primary are almost enough to make Hillary Clinton look like a viable candidate. As a lifelong conservative -- which translates into a lifelong Republican -- I find myself frustrated and disgusted with the '16 primary season on the GOP side...

The headlines in our area should be cause for concern or alarm. Higher than average crimes involving handguns in far too many towns within our region. Sadly, most of the crimes have far too much in common -- young men with illegal guns, too many drugs, too many family disputes and too many gangs...

The truly fascinating aspect of the 2016 presidential primaries is not what we know but rather what we don't know. Though highly unlikely, what happens if Mrs. Clinton is indeed indicted for her email shenanigans? Or what happens if Mr. Trump falls just short of securing the nomination on the first ballot of the GOP convention?...

Like it or not, Western civilization and culture are at war with ISIS. At this point, it's an undeclared war and a highly nontraditional war. But it's a war nonetheless. Unfortunately, President Obama is clearly not at war with ISIS. It has been abundantly clear from the very beginning of his first term that our president has a somewhat different world view of America's role...

A wise political pundit said this week that elections are not won by voting against someone but rather by voting for someone. But that political axiom is being put to the test this year with the increasingly potential contest between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump...

Donald Trump's campaign stump speeches are low on specifics and high on emotion. But for all he's getting wrong, there is one point on which he is correct. It was Trump who brought the issue of illegal immigration to the campaign debate and it is Trump who continues to beat that drum on a daily basis...

The issue of gun-related crimes is a hot topic these days. Because of the daily drumbeat of some thug using a gun to commit a crime, the national dialogue has brought the Second Amendment into glaring focus. The president has made stronger gun control part of his routine stump speech and uses every instance of gun violence as an excuse to call for stricter laws and greater restrictions on gun ownership...

Like millions of other Americans, I remain less than enthralled over the prospect of Donald Trump being the GOP standard-bearer come November. Despite this reluctance and concern, I find no way to even consider a vote for more years of the Obama approach as promised by both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders...

As this muddled presidential campaign continues to unfold, the Democrats seem to always return to the recurring theme of income inequality and their obsession with wealth redistribution. All this great nation needs to do -- according to the progressive line -- is to tax the wealthy a little more and move those funds for services to the low and middle income...

A German hotel being converted to a refugee center for a flood of migrants burned early this week. The blaze at the unoccupied building was ruled arson. As the structure burned, crowds of Germans gathered and cheered. There was even a half-hearted attempt to slow firefighters arriving at the scene...

Were it not for the massive failures and utter ruin of Barack Obama, Donald Trump would not exist. Trump took to the Republican debate stage Saturday night and by any normal measure, his remarks and demeanor should have been the final straw for his boorish campaign behavior and outlandish comments...

With the presidential campaign clock ticking at break-neck speed, I find myself, like many others, still undecided. Actually, "undecided" is inaccurate. I am clearly decided against either of the two Democratic wannabes because of the obvious -- one is a liar and one a Socialist. Given a quick review of their policies, their views are interchangeable...

We American taxpayers are on the verge of shelling out $400,000 to help the state of Minnesota persuade young Somali refugees not to join ISIS. The money is just a drop in the bucket of the $50 million Obama administration program to fight domestic terrorism...

There was once a time when politicians courted newspapers in search of an editorial endorsement of their candidacy. Long before technology overwhelmed society with a minute-by-minute news cycle, the public would often rely on newspapers to give them an inside view of issues and candidates to help guide their votes...

A bill in the Missouri Legislature to require photo IDs to vote has passed the House Elections Committee on a straight-line party vote. The bill now moves to the Senate where it is expected to pass despite a major push back by the Democratic members...

At long last, the coffee shop conversation has shifted away from politics. For now at least, Trump and Hillary's names are unspoken. And there are 1.3 billion reasons for this shifting dialogue. If you don't have lottery fever by now, you must be hibernating. There's no other excuse...

It's 2016 -- let the games begin! What a perfect political storm we have brewing in this pivotal year. First, we have a lame-duck president determined to seal whatever legacy remains and push through with executive orders the wish list of progressive causes he has championed since his community organizing days...

Each year the Associated Press releases its top stories of the past year. As you would have guessed, the rise of ISIS once again topped the list this year. In fact, terrorism by one name or another has made its way into the AP list every year since the Twin Towers attack in 2001...

We are clearly a nation at war. Absent a legal declaration, we still find ourselves facing an enemy hellbent on our destruction and more than willing to sacrifice their lives in their quest for domination. Yet, though we have an undeclared war against ISIS, we have declared all-out war against the ravages of climate change...

What happens if ISIS wins? I know that seems absurd on countless levels. But we learned Sunday night that our military policy to address this growing threat apparently will not change. So, taken to the extreme, what if this cancer continues to grow and we continue to use kid gloves when a iron fist is what's required?...

Like many others, I consider Hillary Clinton a textbook example of all that is wrong in our current political circus. Dishonest, arrogant and sadly absent any hint of trust. But, God forbid, if Donald Trump should be the GOP nominee, our choices come next November will be the worst in history...

Another week, another glaring example of a clueless world view of the actual impact of open-door immigration displayed by the administration of a failed American president. For the longest time, Americans have asked: "When will they learn." And the answer is clearly never...

The discussion of "white male privilege" is a popular topic these days, especially in light of the #blacklivesmatter movement. The presidential candidates of both parties were asked to define, defend, deny or distance themselves from the issue of "white male privilege." And unfolding on the University of Missouri campus was the demand by minority students that the university president apologize for his "white male privilege." Ultimately that demand cost him his job this week...

Long before illegal immigration captured the national attention, I voiced strong reservation over the influx of millions of illegals into our country. Back when the focus was on the disaster of Obamacare and the growth of ISIS, the daily avalanche of illegals was garnering much less attention, except in the border states where the impact was immediate...

When the FBI is investigating you and when you're poised to testify before a congressional committee on failures during your tenure as secretary of state, the obvious political decision is to play the race card. So presidential candidate Hillary Clinton did just that last weekend as she returned to the tired political theme that Republicans and their draconian voter identification laws are designed to keep minorities from voting...

While the national media was focused on President Obama's Oregon visit with families of school-shooting victims, a more important story developed when the President later that day traveled to California for a fundraiser. In remarks that can only be described as delusional, the president told the wealthy gathering: "There's almost no measure by which we're not better off now than we were when I came into office."...

With just over a year before the all-important presidential election, who could have imagined that the top two contenders in many polls are Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders? Seriously. Think about that for just a moment. Donald Trump, a boisterous businessman sadly short on specifics, and Bernie Sanders, a card-carrying socialist who believes our national problems stem from the lack of a larger federal government...

Pope Francis is back safe and sound in the Vatican after leaving his leftist message in America. And this week, the focus falls on the United Nations and their leftist message. Housed in America and funded largely by American taxpayers, the United Nations in so many ways is the enemy within...

Politicians of both parties are providing ample lip service to the middle class during this campaign season. There's a reason for that. Middle class voters decide election outcomes. It's really no more complex than that. But there's far less debate on the question of poverty in America, even though a variety of poverty programs siphon almost a trillion dollars annually in taxpayer funds...

Had a chance over the weekend to mingle with some folk across the state, and the discussion turned to the political circus known as the presidential primary. Though the majority of those gathered were of the conservative bent, both major parties were represented with ample die-hards on both sides of the aisle...

Missouri education officials and local school leaders are scrambling to dissect and explain recently released MAP test results. The test scores are serving as a wake-up call for many districts that report far too many students underperforming in virtually all areas...

And we call this entertainment? Like most of you, I missed the VMA award show this weekend. It wasn't by accident. But it was hard to miss the highlight reel from the televised fiasco. The VMAs -- more than most -- is hype built on the expected inappropriate performance or comment that some "entertainer" uses to unleash his or her 15 minutes of fame...

With Hillary Clinton in free fall and Joe Biden poised to gum up the works in the Democratic primary for president, you would think the GOP would be awash in glee over the prospects. Unfortunately for the Republicans -- and I count myself in the conservative wing of the GOP -- it's all Trump, all the time...

By just about all accounts, Missouri's Sen. Claire McCaskill is a savvy politician who honed her political skills in the Missouri Legislature before being thrust into the national spotlight. McCaskill was one of the very early supporters of Barack Obama in 2008 and this year has become the go-to spokeswoman for Hillary Clinton...

Hillary Clinton just had the best week of her rocky presidential campaign. Now granted, the former First Lady and her two campaign sidekicks were ordered by a federal judge to pledge under oath and threat of perjury they had turned over all emails related to her time as secretary of state...

It's been a year since Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri, following an attack on a police officer. Despite massive protests and riots over false reports that Brown was assassinated with his hands held in the air, not a whole lot has changed...

A gentleman approached me in a grocery store this week and asked if I could confirm a rumor he heard about the president. In hushed tones, he said the president was poised to ignore the Constitution and seek a third term. And should the populace resist that controversial move, the rumor opined that the president would impose marshal law to quell any discontent...

Race has always been a part of the Obama administration. And there's nothing wrong with that. As the nation's first black president, it's understandable that the issue of race relations and racial justice should be a part of this administration's policy...

It did not generate headlines like the Michael Brown episode in Ferguson, but St. Louis police shot and paralyzed a 16-year-old at a St. Louis park Saturday evening when he tried to flee while holding a .40 caliber pistol. The tragedy is just the latest in a string of police shootings that has divided this nation along racial lines...

The ever-increasing field of GOP presidential candidates has either become a laughingstock or a display of the diversity and depth within the Republican ranks. Regardless of your view concerning this rush of GOP candidates, even for die-hards, this early campaign is difficult to follow...

Last week provided a sea change in American society, and I suspect someday history will note the significance. I'm still not sure, however, just how history will record the events. The Supreme Court -- quite honestly, not to anyone's great surprise -- ruled in favor of the Affordable Care Act despite clear and specific language that seemed to have undermined a provision of the controversial law...

As impossible as it is, let me try to be a liberal. Given the number of gun-related deaths, let's repeal the Second Amendment and implement the strongest gun controls imaginable. By taking this drastic step toward gun violence, as a liberal I am convinced that all of the illegal and stolen guns would be turned into law enforcement...

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is a bright leader and astute politician. And he should know better. Just a week or so after he vetoed a right-to-work bill in Missouri, it is reported that Nixon accepted a $50,000 campaign donation check from the United Auto Workers...

Law enforcement has always been a difficult job -- long hours, low pay and the ever present possibility of danger. But recent well-publicized incidents that we can all recite by heart have put law enforcement in the crosshairs. And there is a highly orchestrated effort by the progressive movement to keep law enforcement on the defensive...

Few issues for the American public are as important as the right to vote. And yet few issues are as divisive and as polarizing between the two major political parties as the process of voting. The controversial debate over voter IDs is part of the national dialogue, especially now, given the virtually even divide on just about every political issue under the sun...

As you would expect at this point in his presidency, Barack Obama has started to discuss his legacy. With the clock ticking down on his second term, Obama is doing what he should do -- planning for the future. He has announced the location of his Presidential Library -- south Chicago -- and reportedly has been house hunting...

It's that time of year when graduates of all shapes and sizes march down the aisle, leaving the classroom behind and entering the real world. Those starry-eyed graduates will eventually form a line of leadership that takes society to much greater heights...

At the writing of this week's column, the Missouri Legislature is poised to have a potential firestorm following a rare budget agreement that normally grinds along to the very closing moments of the legislative session. Republicans, who hold a veto-proof majority in the House and Senate, approved and sent to the governor a completed budget much earlier than has been tradition...

The difference between a protest and a riot needs no explanation. Starting last summer in Ferguson, a series of protests has taken place across the country aimed at police tactics in addressing African-Americans. But with far too much frequency, the protests have turned into riots with property damage well into the millions of dollars...

Terrorists around the world make daily headlines by using violence against a system or belief with which they obviously disagree. Now, granted, that's a simplistic distillation on the meaning of terrorism. The new world order that seems to be unfolding before our eyes brings so many forms of terrorism and by so many names that it's easy to get lost in this level of violence that has become almost commonplace...

The Environmental Protection Agency strikes fear in the hearts of most Americans because of the substantial regulatory power it wields. The current administration has used the EPA as a tool to make an end run around Congress and implement much of the liberal utopian dream of a green society regardless of the cost or impact of those regulations...

It's almost obligatory to comment on Sunday's long expected announcement that Hillary Clinton is running for president. Curiously absent from the announcement was her husband. And, for starters, I think that was a mistake because Bill Clinton -- flaws and all -- still remains an immensely popular figure in American politics...

Politicians of all stripes like to talk endlessly about "waste, fraud and abuse," primarily because it's a popular theme with voters. Granted, the Democrats tend to focus on corporate abuse while the Republicans turn their eyes toward welfare abuse...

My original intent today was to pen some pithy and hopefully humorous April Fools' column where you concoct some unbelievable absurdity that defies the imagination only to end the tale with the obligatory, "April Fools!" But it quickly became apparent that the actual headlines of the day provide their own April Fools opportunity...

The ill-fated Starbucks Coffee campaign to force a discussion on race relations in this country ran into massive customer pushback. And as a result, no longer will customers receive handwritten inclusive messages on its overpriced cups of java. Starbucks is quick to defend its poorly conceived campaign by asserting that the first phase of their ongoing "racial discussion" has ended but not because of consumer resistance...

Did the president's top adviser really leak information about former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's hidden private emails to the press in an attempt to "get back" at the Clintons for past deeds against her boss? Did the president send "his" people to Israel recently -- on the taxpayers' dime -- to undermine this week's national elections there?...

Like many of you, I am sorely disappointed with the leadership in Washington, D.C., that has plunged this great nation into a fiscal and international mess of historic proportions. But the lack of leadership that disappoints me the most is the miserable failure and continued incompetence of the Republican leadership -- and I use that term loosely...

Former New York Mayor and presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani created a firestorm recently when he opined that the President did not love his country. Giuliani pointed to President Obama's upbringing and long-documented ties with radicals in making his shocking statement...

By Washington, D.C., standards, this past week was fairly quiet. The week before, we joined with the whole of civilized humanity in mourning the barbaric murder of a downed Jordanian pilot by the junior varsity group ISIS. But this last week, the focus had turned to Bruce Jenner's "he-to-she" transformation and the well-earned departure of Brian Williams and Rosie O'Donnell from the airwaves...

Unless something happens soon, the 2016 presidential election is shaping up to be a lackluster matchup that promises little change when what we need most is radical change from eight years of big government, runaway spending and racial politics that have brought this nation to its knees...

It would appear we've gone stark-raving mad. Despite attempts to make some sense of this carnival of the absurd, there is just no other logical conclusion. For example, Albert Gore and his fellow eco-travelers want to spend $90 trillion to eliminate all passenger vehicles in urban centers in favor of mass transit...

It's clear that the left-leaning power structure in Hollywood goes to extraordinary lengths to push their liberal agenda on the American public. Quite frankly, that analysis is not in dispute. But increasingly, the American public votes with their pocketbook and rejects outright these unfair and inaccurate motion picture portrayals...

The tragic terrorist attack in Paris last week is yet another sad and stark reminder of the dangerous world in which we find ourselves. We must come to the obvious conclusion that the western world -- and especially our freedom-loving nation -- is at war with Islamic terrorists...

On the way to the office recently, I saw a sign on a local business that said: "We live in an era of smart phones and stupid people." In addition to the obvious humor, there's more than a grain of truth in that small sign. When the Obamacare architect John Gruber said the national health-care reform act would only work because of the stupidity of the American public, he knew that despite the awkward wording of his statement, his premise was true...

Hillary Clinton has a problem. But this time the problem is not her husband, it's her mouth. The would-be presidential candidate told a Georgetown University audience recently that America should show respect for our enemies and "empathize with their perspective and point of view."...

As a society, it's essential to our nation's future that we learn lessons from the criminal upheaval in Ferguson last week. It's a sad but safe bet that there will be other Fergusons in other locations. And by learning lessons this time around, hopefully we can avoid the chaos and destruction that has left our neighbor to the north in shambles...

Hillary Clinton, the heir apparent to the throne, may not find smooth sailing as many thought she would. The former first lady, secretary of state and senator has long been expected to walk into the Democratic presidential nomination with nary a concern...

The Michael Brown Coalition, apparently a self-appointed spokes-group for protestors in Ferguson, Missouri, has issued a list of 19 demands on law enforcement to follow once the grand jury decision is announced. Yes, you read that right. The group wants law enforcement to agree to a laundry list including -- but not limited to -- ignoring "minor" lawbreaking, abandoning police riot gear and giving the future looters advanced notice of the grand jury announcement...

If I didn't know better, I'd think the president was intentionally trying to torpedo Democrats' hope of holding Senate control in next month's midterm elections. For an administration prone to missteps, the past few weeks have raised the bar on the apparent rudderless ship of state...

The ongoing protests and civil disobedience in Ferguson, Missouri, is no longer about the police shooting of the "gentle giant" Michael Brown. Instead, left-wing organizations like LGBT groups, Planned Parenthood, abortion rights organizations and pro-Palestinian groups have co-opted the protests along with federal unions and climate-change promoters...

Somewhere between ISIS and Ebola or perhaps between the Secret Service fiasco and the continued flood of illegals crossing our southern border, stands the ongoing discussion on Obamacare. Problems continue to plague the massive federal health-care system overhaul despite repeated assurances from the administration that all is going smoothly...

Editor's note: The following column originally appeared in the Sept. 21 edition of the Sikeston Standard Democrat. Despite efforts to the contrary, I am a worrier. I know we're told to leave our worries to a higher power. And though I believe with all my heart that this is the best approach, human nature kicks in and I find myself worrying...

Any time the federal government declares a "War on....", you can bet your bottom dollar -- or tax dollar, in most cases -- the outcome will be utter failure at a massive taxpayer expense. The long-ago declared War on Drugs has turned into full surrender with nary a dip in the drug usage or availability after massive resources for law enforcement, education and an array of other tools...

"The end of civilization as we know it." Those are powerful words. Frightening words. Doomsday words. Yet those were the words used by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this week to describe the results of a Republican victory in the United States Senate this November...

Nothing to see here folks. Just another week in Washington. Increasingly, the lack of American leadership from the Obama White House is illustrating the fundamental flaw of inexperience in Washington combined with a detached arrogance that has outworn its welcome...

I spent far too much of my weekend catching up on the events surrounding the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson. It literally took an earthquake to shake the national media away from Ferguson for just a brief moment. And just as quickly, the media swarmed again on the St. Louis suburb for Monday's funeral...

I was a college student in Memphis, Tennessee, the night Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. And as you would imagine, the events of that fateful day remain vivid in my memory after all of these years. The entire community of Memphis was both shocked and saddened by the tragic event. But the sadness quickly turned to anger, which turned to chaos and eventually self-destructive actions...

With the countdown ticking toward the all-important November midterm elections, the Republicans can't seem to adopt a strategy that will guarantee election success. Judging from the level of discontent and frustration in this country, you would think their strategy would be simple...

The Republican weekly radio address this week summed up the prevailing national attitude in one short phrase: Something is wrong in Washington. Now the liberals are anxious to label the problem as a resistant GOP House, unwilling to embrace the Obama agenda...

If Bill Clinton was the first black president then Barack Obama is the first Hispanic president. From all indications, President Obama is on the verge of issuing some extended form of amnesty for unknown numbers of illegal immigrants who have flooded across our southern border...

Despite the White House assessment last week that the Obama foreign policy has brought a new "global tranquility," the headlines would say otherwise. You would have to search long and hard to find "tranquility" across the world that is being touted by this administration...

While out for a brief Sunday afternoon shopping binge, I couldn't help but notice the "Back to School" sections were in full display. My kids are long out of the educational environment, so I pay much less attention to the school calendar. But the reality for thousands of kids and parents is that the summer break is drawing closer to an end and in just a few short weeks, the school routine begins anew...

To keep a conspiracy, a lie or an illegal act in check, you must first have a code of silence. Participants in a conspiracy must abide by a spoken or unspoken understanding that the wayward deed will unravel if anyone breaks that bond of silence. And, it goes without saying, that the fewer involved, the less chance that someone will say the wrong words and the truth will begin to surface...

When Richard Nixon was running for president, his handlers sensed voters thought he was out of touch with the common man. And history would prove them right. So to give the always-stiff Nixon a more common touch, he was scheduled to appear on the highly-popular "Laugh-In" comedy program using the now-famous line, "Sock it to me!"...

The Russian army is on full battle alert on the Ukrainian border, ISIS is beheading their way to Baghdad, the Israelis have launched a rocket strike inside Syria and just for good measure, a few thousand immigrant children are streaming across our southern borders each day...

On Friday afternoon, as is the practice of this White House, the Obama administration quietly announced that over two years of email from embattled IRS official Lois Lerner has been "lost." So on the eve of a special Congressional investigation into the targeting of conservative groups by the IRS, we're to believe that sensitive and potentially illegal activities outlined in thousands of emails have somehow just simply vanished into thin air...

Those who relentlessly continue to support the missteps of this administration have crossed the line from being partisan to being delusional. And I don't use that term in an off-handed, casual manner. To ignore the impending financial and social collapse from a tidal wave of undocumented immigrants must be delusional...

Amnesty will be the final straw that fundamentally transforms the future of this once-great country. Through years of ever-growing federal assistance, we have created a permanent non-working class of citizens unwilling to perform the entry-level, lower paying jobs...

We may not find ourselves in the worst of times, but it's far from the best of times as well. The IRS scandal, much to the administration's dismay, is not going away. The Democrats have decided to reluctantly participate in the long-overdue Benghazi probe. And the increasingly unraveling Obamacare disaster just won't go away...

When the Affordable Care Act was first unleashed on the American people last October, the headlines provided a keen insight into the flaws of a huge federal government overreach. Liberals held their collective breath in anticipation of this grand design while conservatives laughed at the Keystone Kops rollout...

Whether the Democrats like it or not, someone in this administration is going to take the fall for the disaster that claimed four American lives in Benghazi. With last week's announcement that a special select committee was being formed to probe deep into the Benghazi fiasco, the Democrats are clearly scrambling...

Politics is little more than a game of numbers. Winning elections is less about issues and policies than it is about simple math. So I'm puzzled why the Republican leadership is softening to some form of amnesty for an estimated 12 million undocumented illegal immigrants in this nation...

The more I watch and listen to the political bobbleheads, the more I think the Republicans are to blame. And believe me, it pains me to come to this sad conclusion. It would seem a slam dunk to refute and dissect President Barack Obama's world view which runs counter to the principles that made this nation the envy of the world...

A few months back, I penned a column that talked about trust in our government and specifically trust in this administration. The theme then -- as it remains today -- is that absent trust, virtually any act or proposal coming from government officials will be viewed with some level of skepticism...

Melowese Richardson illegally voted for the re-election of President Obama six times in 2012 and stated so proudly during a national television interview. She was sentenced to five years in prison for voter fraud. She served eight months. And now, the illegal voter is being hailed as a hero in the "voters rights" community. ...

If the Obamacare program is as successful as the administration tries to portray, is it not valid to ask why such secrecy over the sign-up numbers? The administration -- even before a congressional committee last week -- refused to acknowledge how many people had actually paid their insurance premiums and just how many young adults had joined the federal program...

I started my week with a hot cup of coffee and some lukewarm conversation at a local convenience store. That is not my normal routine but when the conversation turns to politics, weather and sports, I have some self-imposed obligation to throw my 2 cents in...

You have to give credit to the liberals -- which I hesitate to do. The liberals know that if you put a derogatory name or slur on your opposition, you demean their value to some. And that's why we have "birthers" or "teabaggers" or "climate deniers."...

The problem with drawing a line in the sand is that sometimes, the other guy ignores your line. So then what do you do? This administration is increasingly tumbling in international standing and has become a toothless tiger with ample roar and limited punch...

Secretary of State John Kerry was in Indonesia last week to promote the ongoing charade of global warming. He picked the perfect time to discuss global warming as he fled the Northeast and the record ice and snowfall and bitter temperatures. Kerry must not have gotten the memo that it's no longer global warming -- since that has become a highly popular punch line -- and it has now become climate change...

Michael Sam, an All-American defensive lineman for the University of Missouri, announced this weekend that he was gay. What makes this story a headliner is that Sam will soon enter the NFL draft and with his skills on the field, he may well become the first openly gay member of the National Football League...

The president's theme of "income inequality" is not gaining the traction the administration had hoped. Anxious to move the narrative away from the widely unpopular Obamacare fiasco, the drumbeat of "income inequality" seemed a popular notion. The president had even called this new theme the "defining challenge of our times" with the appropriate bravado and accompanying applause...

It's a foregone conclusion that Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee for president in 2016. The sole obstacle in her path would be a health issue because, rest assured, any potential missteps on her part would never make their way into the mainstream media...

Rush Limbaugh calls them "low information voters." I have used much less flattering terms in the past. But regardless of the label, there is a large and unfortunately growing number of voters who are absolutely clueless on issues or a candidate's position, background, experience, etc...

If you pay attention to the administration's talking points for 2014, you now know our national obsession is ending economic inequality. That lofty yet ill-defined goal will be a major talking point when the president makes his annual State of the Union address. In fact, many of the political talking heads were rehearsing the issue this past Sunday...

Well, the president has returned from his family golfing vacation in Hawaii and aides say his focus is on extending unemployment benefits, immigration reform and an increase in the minimum wage. That seems like an ambitious agenda for a national leader who has had more than his share of problems as of late. Remember Obamacare, Benghazi, NSA spying and IRS snooping?...

While the Obama administration continues its focus on growing the federal government, someone needs to keep an eye on the rest of the world. Take a brief look at China and North Korea, for example. These two longtime enemies have been anything but quiet of late...

The current Congress is rated as one of the least productive in history because of a lack of new legislation. According to the rating service, this session of Congress has approved just 60 new laws and thus, the low rating. But why is this rating based on legislation passed?...

In a somewhat bizarre effort to promote the troubled Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration has a handy and helpful video with suggestions on how to start a health-care conversation during the Thanksgiving dinner. I could not make this up, believe me...

Let's face it -- the past week was less than kind to our president. And the same can be said about the embattled, but still arrogant, Alec Baldwin. But these two kindred spirits of the far political left have similar problems because they made similar mistakes...

As much as I tried to stay focused on the World Series, some other news tidbits managed to slip through the cracks this past week. In the excitement of the annual Fall Classic, I may have missed something. But here's what I thought I heard. Surely I am missing something here but my focus is clearly distracted by the Cardinals and Red Sox...

The massively flawed rollout of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, should come as no surprise given the unanswered questions that have plagued the federal monstrosity from the very beginning. But equally as predictable is the reaction of the Obama lemmings, who continue to insist all is well in Obamaland and the "glitches" are little more than technical issues caused by massive interest in the new law...

As I made my way to the office Tuesday morning in the all-too-dark early hours, I passed a familiar coffee shop packed with the usual suspects. And then I passed another early morning watering hole and then another and another. The morning coffee shop is an important ingredient in the lives of many -- mostly men -- farmers, bankers, lawyers, small businessmen and such...

Since there appears to be little agreement in our federal government these days, let's find one -- just one -- issue that is nonpartisan, out of control and in need of a major overhaul. Let's start with what has been called the "secret welfare system" -- the Federal Disability Insurance Program...

Government shutdown. Obamacare. Debt ceiling. Iran. Syria. Amnesty. Let's count the ways our elected officials can find disagreement and continue to disregard the American people. But as we all know, the list is growing daily. As the great modern-day philosopher Rodney King once said, "Can't we all get along?"...

Success in politics is often about picking the right battles. But success also depends on timing. The GOP may well be picking the right battle at the wrong time. And although I fully support and understand the wide range of disagreement on the miserable Obamacare mandates, from a political standpoint I see nothing but setbacks...

In a somewhat futile attempt to clear a long-neglected desk drawer, I came across an article I shelved in June that piqued my interest. It's no coincidence that I have a cup of coffee nearby since the article says that caffeine withdrawal is now officially a mental disorder...

According to discussions over the weekend, a number of congressmen are poised today to vote in favor of military action in Syria not because of the use of chemical weapons but rather to support the president. Members of the Black Congressional Caucus were warned in a letter last week from their chairman not to discuss any opposition to the military action because of the damage it could do to the president...

If you Google the phrase "Indecision is the hallmark of mediocrity," you'll likely come up empty. That's because it was a conclusion on the business world I concocted many years ago. As I watched businessmen run their operations, it was those who were willing to make tough decisions -- some unpopular -- who succeeded...

No one could address the issue of race in this country as well as our president. And yet, he remains largely silent. The president was quick to respond to the Cambridge police officer controversy and even quicker to respond to the Trayvon Martin episode in Florida...

I've been AWOL for the past two weeks. Put my quill pen aside and coordinated my absence with the Obama vacation. Hey, if he's not working, neither am I! I did return to the office with a new granddaughter, which was my original reason for fleeing the office...

With all due respect, I don't think Congress or especially this administration fully understands the tax debate. Though it's far from my favorite expenditure, I don't mind paying my fair share of the tax burden. What I often resent is the way my tax dollars are spent...

Our federal government can continue to function even with highly unpopular positions. Our federal government can continue to function even with partisan bickering, major social divisions and slow erosions of personal freedoms. But a federal government cannot continue to function when it loses the trust of the American public...

The issue inside the courtroom of the George Zimmerman trial was Florida's "stand your ground" law and the question of self-defense. The issue outside the courtroom was race. Is this the "post racial" promise that was sold to this country on the campaign trail?...

Though it's a milestone that will appropriately go unnoticed, I started my first "real" job at this newspaper 50 years ago this week. I was a 15-year-old kid with absolutely no experience yet somehow survived through the sweltering heat and the "brotherhood" of a newspaper family...

It's easy today to focus on fireworks, food, friends and family. But take just a moment to focus on the freedoms that form the basis for this special time in our great nation. Despite political winds that blow our ship of state off course from time to time, we still enjoy freedoms that others only dream about...

Sen. Claire McCaskill is no stranger to political drama. She was one of the first supporters of Barack Obama when he was largely unknown and taking on a powerful Hillary Clinton machine in 2008. And now McCaskill has jumped into the political waters again and offered a very early ringing endorsement of Hillary's presidential aspirations in 2016...

Now that the IRS has publicly acknowledged that the scrutiny of tea party and other conservative groups was not an act of "rogue" agents in an Ohio office, we're starting to realize that elections do indeed have consequences. In all honesty, it should come as no surprise that we learn of the intense attention paid to those who oppose the drift of our expanding government...

In a small Florida courtroom this week, the trial of George Zimmerman will begin to unfold. Zimmerman is accused of killing Trayvon Martin during a confrontation more than a year ago. The trial will nudge from the headlines the numerous scandals that have captured our attention in recent weeks...

Well, the dust has settled, the votes have been counted and Missouri's 8th Congressional District at long last has a representative in the House to sound the voice of concern or support from our little region of the world. And like it or not, a campaign will begin today to retain that seat...

A White House senior adviser on Sunday said it was "irrelevant" where the president was during the raid on the Benghazi compound where four Americans were killed. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton asked with great indignation "What difference, at this point, does it matter," when questioned about the "talking points" of the Benghazi raid...

Much of the national dialogue for the past 50 years has focused on the issue of poverty. Wars have come and gone. Social issues have evolved and changed the fabric of society. Technology has advanced at breakneck speed. But poverty remains largely unchanged...

As the world knows by now, Jason Collins is a much-traveled, mediocre professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards -- his sixth team. Until last week, Collins was far from a household name, to put it mildly. But Collins -- with much fanfare -- announced he is a gay athlete, which marked a "first" in men's professional sports for an active player...

In his weekly radio address Saturday, President Obama promised more "pain" for the American people unless Congress approved his budget. This is the same president who was offered the option by Congress to make budget cuts in the wake of the sequester that would have minimal negative impact. But he declined that offer outright...

We are now to understand we have a "new normal." If you haven't heard the term, you will. Whether it's the uncertain economy, the cultural shift to the left, the growing dependence on government or now the resurgence of terrorism at home, we have entered an age of this new normal...

I have to be honest. When I paid my federal and state tax obligation this week, I did so with a tinge of resentment. Granted, I recognize the importance and necessity of a tax obligation. I understand -- as best I can -- that these funds are what fuel much of our economy...

The possibility of compromise with a "Grand Bargain" on critical national issues seems more remote with each passing day. The reason is both simple and understandable. People compromise on paint color or dinner choices, but balk when it comes to issues of principle...

The president attended Easter services Sunday. But it was the minister who captured the spotlight when he seized the high-profile opportunity to share his views on the state of politics during the sermon. The minister -- with the Obama family front and center -- said "captains of the religious right want to put blacks back to the back of the bus, women back in the kitchen and immigrants back on their side of the border."...

I can't help but chuckle when the political tongues start wagging about eliminating tax loopholes. In principle, tax advantages that favor special interests are easy to oppose. But loopholes have replaced "waste, fraud and abuse" as the popular mystery revenue source to solve our economic woes...

Let's talk about the poor. Most discussions -- political or moral -- touch on the issue of assistance to the least among us. Civilized societies always have appropriately put the needs of the poor as a high priority, though we quite often differ on just how to provide the needed assistance...

Thank goodness we have arrived at the long-awaited Obama economic recovery. The seas have calmed, as Obama promised, and prosperity has returned to America. The record-breaking highs in the stock market -- fueled by a cheap money policy that is unsustainable and a trillion dollar stimulus -- must be a sign of recovery...

Back in the day, I fancied myself a fairly decent repository of trivial facts. When in college, we would while away study time by exchanging competing questions on trivial matters. Sports, music, current events, etc., all provided sources of unimportant minutia that would be debated over adult beverages...

When Rush Limbaugh said last week he was "ashamed" of this country for the first time, I cringed thinking of the all-too-predictable liberal backlash. But then a hidden nugget of pure lunacy crossed by my desk, and I understand Limbaugh's frustration, disappointment and anger...

Did you notice the snafu in the president's State of the Union address last week? Even with our highly advanced technology, the president's teleprompter -- of all things -- skipped over one small paragraph in his address. After the president again repeated his desire for a new series of multibillion-dollar federal programs, he said the proposals would not add "a single dime" to the exploding federal deficit...

The political left has this uncanny knack of renaming -- rebranding is the current nom de jour -- issues they hold so dear. The latest salvo came this week during the committee debate on immigration reform. With great hubris, Democrats warned Republicans against using the term "illegal aliens."...

David Axelrod, President's Obama's former senior adviser and patriarch of the Chicago connection with the White House, this week addressed the sad crime wave that engulfs the Windy City. And Axelrod said the words that Obama will not. Axelrod said there were upward of 150,000 active gang members in Chicago, and those gangs are responsible for the 500-plus murders in the city last year...

You can imagine my delight when I read that this week's presidential radio address would focus on "irresponsible behavior." Hallelujah. I have long believed that irresponsible behavior is the under-spoken issue that politicians largely ignore. At long last, this administration would finally address irresponsible behaviors like the explosion of single-parent households, the problem of school dropout rates and the high crimes in urban war zones that account for half of the murders in this country...

By all means, let's ban assault weapons and reduce to a sane number the amount of bullets in a weapon's clip. Absolutely mandate and increase background checks on gun purchases. And certainly, let's monitor those with mental health issues to assure their access to guns in prohibited...

The Obama administration keeps referring to the "mandate" given by voters to pursue their big-government agenda. Health care, higher taxes, more regulation, entitlement expansion and now gun control. A review of election returns shows a slim majority for this administration but far from a mandate...

Today's America has become an "instant gratification" society. That singular fact is not in dispute. Technology has driven much of that change, but greed is the overall contributing factor. We want what we want and we want it now. The political atmosphere also has adopted this short-term approach. We fix today what needs fixing and we worry about tomorrow tomorrow. Or down the road. Or never...

Though not prone to rituals, I do have an annual routine to occupy the time between Christmas and New Year. I carefully empty my office desk and discard those countless items that were ignored or postponed over the past 12 months. But I don't discard willy nilly...

My first reaction upon hearing of Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's sudden resignation was to send an obscenity-laced email to the state GOP headquarters. Granted, it was a tad bit over-the-top, knee-jerk reaction to the announcement. But I felt betrayed. Like many political observers in our little corner of the world, it was the timing of the resignation that stoked my frustration...

An Internet photo went viral last week showing a New York police officer giving a $100 pair of boots to a supposedly homeless man on the streets of New York. The photo came just in time for the holiday season and provided a classic Christmas tale of helping those less fortunate...

Like many this time of year, I'm balancing appropriate Christmas shopping with a realistic "new normal" budget. With one eye on the economy and the other on Santa's wish list, I doubt I will join optimistic shoppers who plan to spend more this year...

Although this space today probably should be used to convey some thoughts on Thanksgiving, I'm in no mood to tell anyone for what they should be thankful. The truth is, giving thanks -- and I mean the sincere and heartfelt "Dear God" thanks -- is far too personal to put into some generic category...

In the afterglow of last week's election -- better known as deep depression -- I've tried to learn some lessons. Here's what I think I learned. We can all look at the same set of numbers and have starkly different "take-aways." It's easy enough to see the obvious racial divide in the election results. And it's equally easy to see the different political preferences in dozens of demographic breakdowns, i.e., age, religion, gender, etc...

Less than a week from now we should know. But given the closeness of this presidential election, there's a slight chance a week from now this election outcome may still remain in limbo. I feel a sense of frustration that the circulation of this small column will reach readers already a solid majority in support of Mitt Romney...

Two weeks to go and we political junkies are like kids in a candy store. Everywhere you look there's a political nugget that captures your attention. Then in the blink of an eye, another hidden morsel of news surfaces and your attention shifts to a new candy counter...

Why would people threaten to riot if Mitt Romney is elected president? Why would other people promise to leave the country if Barack Obama is re-elected president? Both attitudes reflect our nation's extreme polarization and division. And both attitudes provide an insight into the radical reactions to an outcome other than what they want...

Like many on the right, I remain dumbstruck over how many voters continue to support this administration. And I'm not referencing the "impartial" polls that show skewed results to drive opinion. I recently read Mitch Albom's new book "The Time Keeper" as a diversion from politics...

In a presidential election that should clearly be a referendum on the economy, the race this year has been anything but. Perhaps by now, we're immune to 8.3 percent unemployment. Perhaps a $16.3 trillion deficit is of no concern. So what if 47 million Americans must turn to food stamps to feed their family?...

But as with all things in the newspaper business, deadlines wait for no man. My first instinct is to pen something thoughtful on the violence in the Mideast and try to arrive at some rational thought on the situation. But as with most of you, I know nearly not enough to reach some logical conclusion. And quite frankly, I fear our leaders know little more than you and I...

Having written this column for nearly 35 years, I'm reminded that my tone was not always political. No Carter bashing in those early years. No Reagan fawning. Even Bill Clinton's drama went virtually unnoticed -- at least in the world of this minor column...

As my 65th birthday approaches, I'm constantly reminded just how out of step I am with modern society. For example, I can't remember the exact moment that I fully abandoned today's musical offerings, but I suspect that may have been the first signal of societal withdrawal...

While all of the national focus is squarely on Election Day, Nov. 6, the important day is Nov. 7. That day we'll know more clearly how our personal lives will be affected and how the future will likely unfold for our children and grandchildren. So let's look beyond Election Day and peek into the future...

If you thought Joe Biden's "put them back in chains" comment was stupid, it pales by comparison to Todd Akin's "legitimate rape" comment this weekend. With one stupid slip of the tongue, Akins may have well assured that the Democrats will remain in the Senate majority...

With this week's announcement of Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney's vice presidential choice, the countdown has officially begun. We've seen the opening act and the full cast of characters is now in place. If you paid attention, the campaign began Sunday with the usual suspects on the political talkfests...

Though I obviously have no formal training, I suspect one of the more difficult aspects of human nature is the ability to accept blame. Few among us relishes the prospect of admitting fault. Perhaps it runs against the grain of human nature. But either our society has either gone full-tilt on shunning blame or I'm just paying closer attention...

Like millions of other small-business owners, I'm confused by the president's statement last week that somehow, I didn't build a business alone -- someone helped me. The clearly unscripted remarks sent shock waves through the private sector community...

Following a friendly discussion with a pro-Obama voter recently, I came to the conclusion we've entered the age of the New Economy. I was told in glowing terms just how the economy was improving. Unemployment, gasoline prices, interest rates, home foreclosures and a whole host of improving metrics were touted with great pride...

With nary a whimper, the No Child Left Behind education reform law has all but slipped into history. The controversial 2002 law was a well-intentioned plan to monitor teaching and school accountability. It established learning benchmarks for all schools in critical areas of education -- reading, math and science...

It will come as no surprise to many of you, but I have officially gone to the birds. Some who don't share my political views are surely not surprised. With a couple of bird feeders, I have a newfound hobby of feeding birds and watching their antics...

Warmed by the glow of a decisive victory for fiscal sanity in Wisconsin last week, some conservatives are giddy over the prospects for November. Put that giddiness aside, my fellow conservatives. There's work to be done. The conventional wisdom says unions will be lukewarm to President Obama because of his no-show in Wisconsin...

The pope last week proposed that rich families should help poor people in other countries. His charitable message was well received. But surely he wasn't speaking to the United States. Through our foreign aid program, the United States is hands-down the most charitable country in history. Our nation provides well over $55 billion in annual foreign aid and most of that is for economic support to help feed those who cannot feed themselves...

To my liberal friends:As the presidential election comes ever closer, are there some areas -- any areas -- on which we can agree? Let's agree that the Bush-era Medicare drug plan, plus the cost of two military conflicts brought on by the Sept. 11 attack, put our country in a financial tailspin...

Were it not a serious issue, I'd get a laugh out of the news from Florida this week that 53,000 deceased Floridians have been uncovered -- no pun intended -- on the current voter registration rolls in that all-important state. Let me quickly point out that I don't hail from the conspiracy school of politics. This latest revelation from Florida is not some Democratic Party scheme to steal an election in the Sunshine State...

Presidential campaigns are a contact sport. There may be a phony facade of friendly rivalry, but beneath that veneer is deep disdain and distrust. And I'm not talking about the candidates. I'm talking about the American public. Every four years, it seems, we divide ourselves along purely political lines to choose the most powerful leader in the free world...

Every four years during the presidential election cycle, we're urged to ask the question, "Are you better off today than four years ago?" The catchy line made famous by President Ronald Reagan during a 1980 debate with President Jimmy Carter has already surfaced this year. You'll likely hear it often...

As May arrives, we are once again greeted by the ever-popular Occupy Wall Street crowd, which is little more than a union-financed political street theater designed to deflect attention away from a stalled economy. The theory behind the Occupy Wall Street gang is to highlight the disparity of income in America. But it takes little work to see the true purpose -- which is clearly to rally some odd support for the Obama administration especially in the wake of the tea party success...

As the coffee shop conversations turn to politics these days, lost in that discussion too often is the race for governor and senator in Missouri. That's not to say that there is absolutely no dialogue on these important Missouri races. But facts are facts, and these key races in our home state are not on the minds of most Missourians...