It should come as no surprise that the Republican national leadership has decided to focus on Hillary Clinton as the face of the Democratic party in the run-up to the all-important midterm elections. It just makes sense. Hillary Clinton is a polarizing figure held in very low esteem by the GOP as well as some within her own party...

We talk often about the polarization in this country but increasingly it's not polarization, it's downright hatred. It's beyond dispute that we have reached a cultural and political crossroad where civil discourse and compromise have been abandoned...

Let's talk about the Department of Housing and Urban Development. With the national headlines focused elsewhere, new HUD administrator Dr. Ben Carson is quietly transforming the massive bureaucracy in a way that has liberals in a tizzy. HUD was one of a number of Johnson-era federal programs designed to provide taxpayer-funding housing for the poor. Every county in Missouri has a HUD-funded program...

I was a junior in college 50 years ago today attending Memphis State University. It was a turbulent time in American history. I worked on a college newspaper and spent many hours covering the civil rights demonstrations on campus along with the protests against the war in Viet Nam...

In a brief respite from the ongoing narrative of Russian collusion and anti-Trump rhetoric, we return to the debate over gun control this week with massive student walkouts scheduled across the country. This highly-staged emotional response to the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Fla. will briefly put the spotlight back on gun violence...

I'm greeted with a report first thing in the morning from the Southern Poverty Law Center that says Missouri has 18 active hate groups operating in our state, which actually represents a decline from last year's 24 hate group census. The SPLC report indicates that nationally there is an increase in hate groups from last year's 917 to 954 this year...

As of this writing, it appears highly likely the Missouri House of Representatives will this week begin the first step on what could possibly lead to the impeachment of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens. For those who remain unaware, Greitens was arrested last week on invasion of privacy charges. The arrest stems from an acknowledged extramarital affair the governor had long before his election...

I can add neither perspective nor wisdom to the Florida school shooting issue. I can add only my sincere condolences and extreme sadness at the tragic and life-changing senseless slaughter that unfolded. As you would expect, there is much passion surrounding the issue of gun control in the wake of such tragedies...

Way back what seems like a million years ago, I was a senior in high school. Fast forward in time and I was a senior in college. Fast forward again and I was blessed with a son. He became a junior which made me a senior once again. Many years and countless calendar pages later, I reach a magical age where I became a senior citizen...

Forget the Republican's FISA memo. And forget the Democrat's counter memo disputing the Republican memo. In fact, forget any and all memos and focus instead on an Indiana courtroom where a much more important battle is brewing. Let's call it Birdgate...

I did not watch the Grammy Music Awards, just as I did not watch the Golden Globe Awards earlier this month. Odds are very high I will not watch the Academy Awards, whenever the heck they are. These self-congratulatory award shows have become prime time fodder for the progressive left. It gives performers their moment in the spotlight to affirm their liberal beliefs in a safe environment surrounded by their fellow travelers...

It's universally accepted that the major media giants -- with the exception of Fox News -- are blatantly liberal, anti-Trumpers. Even Fox has a handful of liberal-leaning anchors who loudly question the President. But my question is why these mainstream media moguls remain in lockstep with the socialist left...

Paul Krugman is the Nobel Prize winning liberal voice of the New York Times. Krugman’s “expertise” is in the field of economics. But ever the liberal, Krugman sees everything through a far left political prism. This week, New Yorker Krugman pondered an unusual question: Why do small towns exist?...

The top priority for the Trump administration in 2018 is welfare reform. And if you seem to recall hearing about welfare reform in the past, you're right. Welfare reform goes back at least to the Reagan administration and was interestingly a high priority during the Clinton administration as well...

Let me start with a confession. I am a serial hugger. But in the current social climate, perhaps I need to rethink my absolutely innocent actions. When is an innocent hug inappropriate? Or a peck on the cheek? Or a wink? If there is a line not to be crossed, please help men understand those new limits...

Thursday marks the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor that brought America into the Second World War. Few living today and fewer still reading this column can remember that fateful Sunday morning when 353 Imperial Japanese aircraft attacked military bases in Hawaii and killed 2,403 American military personnel...

The head cleric of the Church of England says he still doesn't understand why Christians support President Donald Trump. Now under normal circumstances, this off-handed comment by a religious leader in a foreign country would go virtually unnoticed...

I was a college senior in the summer of 1969. To many, this was one of the more fascinating and fast-changing times in American history. The nation was embroiled in the Vietnam war; we had witnessed as a nation the assassinations of some of the most prominent and promising leaders in our history; and the civil-rights movement was front and center...

In "normal" times, an historic foreign trip by a U.S. president would be the subject of massive news coverage focused on sensitive talks and potential new alliances with both friends and foes. But there's nothing "normal" about these times, as the news coverage instead involves awkward handshakes and fish feeding. More coverage is devoted to the first lady's attire than the substance of talks with foreign leaders...

Two initiative petition drives underway in Missouri would ask voters to legalize medical marijuana. And a highly unlikely group just put its support behind the petition drives. That surprise support may well be the catalyst to convince voters to support the medical marijuana initiative...

The daily non-stop chaos in all levels of politics is primarily geared toward the critical mid term elections in 2018. The Democrats realize they go into these elections at a substantial disadvantage with 10 Senate candidates up for re-election in states won by President Trump last year...

There's a new report out this week that concludes 74 percent of teens would opt for a digital conversation over a real, face-to-face conversation. I'm not necessarily surprised by the survey results. But it does point to a trend that is somehow concerning...

By most political wisdom, one of the most closely watched political races next year will be right here in Missouri. Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill has announced she will seek reelection in a state where Donald Trump won handily last year...

It's always the same. The omnipresent issue of gun control once again reared its ugly head following the Las Vegas massacre. Democrats like Hillary Clinton rushed to the microphones faster than a First Responder to push gun-control legislation based on emotions and weak on facts...

When some people see a problem, their first instinct is to attach blame. Others look first for a solution and hold the blame game until later. I normally fall into the latter camp. But not today. From sports to entertainment to college campuses, there is unrest in this country the likes of which have never been seen...

Back in 2013, singer Meghan Trainor released her breakout hit "All About That Bass", which went on to win an Emmy and Billboard award, reached number one on the music charts and launched a viral video among the most watched in Internet history. I was thinking about that snappy tune this weekend as I watched with sadness the events unfold in St. Louis...

Tragedies always seem to bring out the best and the worst in humanity. The twin hurricanes -- Harvey and Irma -- are just the latest example. The national unity and helping spirit of Americans was in full display first in Texas and then in Florida as Mother Nature delivered a costly blow in terms of damage and loss of life...

Rarely do I agree with anything coming out of California, but lo and behold, California lawmakers are about to do what should be done nationwide. California lawmakers are poised to treat the Antifa thugs as an official street gang. That designation will allow law enforcement to jail these anarchists and hopefully put an end to their nonstop chaos that is threatening the foundation of this country...

Just like the iconic television character Mr. Rogers, today kids we're going to learn a new word -- offend. When you see or hear something you don't like, you can be offended. This also applies if your "feelings" are somehow offended. And when you use this new word, you can demand with much righteous indignation that society change or remove that which offends you...

It's hard for a Missouri politician to put our proud state in a more unfavorable light than former Congressman Todd Akin. Akin, you'll recall, made an asinine statement on rape that not only doomed his career but brought insensitivity to a new low. But Akin's stupidity was trumped last week by the ever-popular Missouri State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal (Dem. St. Louis)...

I've always been told there is a solution for every problem. Look hard enough and work hard enough and you'll eventually find that elusive solution. But the issue of race relations may be that single issue in this nation that currently defies a solution...

Scanning a Kansas City newspaper this week, I was reminded of the tragic election night plane crash that took the life of Congressman Jerry Litton and his family. It was August 1976 that Litton defeated former Gov. Warren Hearnes for the Democratic nomination to the United States Senate...

The GOP is facing a dilemma unlike any in history. With each passing day, it becomes harder to defend President Trump's actions and words, though his policies still remain highly popular with the majority of Americans. The closest comparison is with Richard Nixon, who enjoyed strong support for withdrawing troops from Vietnam and opening long-closed doors with China. But on a personal level, Nixon's quirks and odd personality made him a standing joke for many including some within his own party...

After some intense soul-searching, the Democrat Party has arrived at the solution to their recent and ongoing election losses. The party of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Shumer has decided their problem boils down to a slogan that will change both their image and their election losses...

Back in November -- though it seems a lifetime ago -- the American people gave the Republican Party control of the United States Senate, House and White House. And there was a reason for this political sea change. After eight tumultuous years of the prior administration, America was as divided as perhaps any point in our history. This disunity threatened all sense of progress and compromise on some highly critical issues...

Given the current state of affairs, it seems the common thread that holds together our national fabric has unraveled. The adage that we have more in common than not seems a quaint vestige of the past. The great philosopher Rodney King once asked, "Can't we all just get along?"...

In a nation blessed with abundant opportunities for all, we seem to spend an enormous amount of time focused on those who rely on taxpayer assistance. America's charity -- which is based largely on our Christian foundation -- has always marked the compassion of our generous nation...

Earlier this year, the People's Republic of California imposed a state employee travel ban to four states -- Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee -- who had passed laws the Californians thought were discriminatory toward the LGBT community...

Much of today's political chaos is little more than groundwork for the 2018 midterm and the 2020 presidential elections. Democrats are pushing their well-worn obstructionist model to favorably position themselves for higher office. They believe that chaos today will translate into votes tomorrow...

With little better to do, I managed to force myself to watch Hillary's Excuse Tour '17 this past week. My gosh, you need a scorecard to track the phony excuses this woman is trying to peddle to the American public. Completely and totally void of accepting any personal responsibility, the former first lady is trying desperately to become the poster child of victimhood. But as is often the case with one-trick-ponies, her growing collection of excuses is wearing thin...

Welfare reform is red meat for conservatives and a sure sign of racism to liberals. That alone illustrates the stark division concerning the question of welfare reform and more specifically, food stamp reform. The Trump administration's proposed budget calls for a $190 billion savings in the food stamp program over the next 10 years by requiring able-bodied adults to work to receive food stamps...

Expect a population boom in New Orleans now that the city has rid itself of those hurtful Confederate statues that have long been a draw for tourists and history buffs. At least that is the expectation of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu who said the historic monuments are the cause for the out-migration of New Orleans residents...

Though I am long from jumping ship on the USS Trump, I will admit it is often discomforting to defend his words and actions. I have to keep reminding myself of some critical and telling aspects of this presidency. For starters, Trump is barely into his fourth month in office and, like many of his predecessors, there is a steep learning curve to the most important job in the world...

Missouri's flagship university -- the University of Missouri -- is in a bit of a pickle. Enrollment has tanked, revenue is down by millions of dollars, seven residential halls -- once packed with eager freshmen -- are closed and tuition costs are expected to climb to make up for the financial shortfall...

Bill Gates of Microsoft fame is worth an estimated $87 billion. Amazon's Jeff Bezos follows closely on his heels with an estimated worth of $80 billion. Reliable Warren Buffett is worth $75 billion. Those numbers alone are astounding. Yet economists are predicting that given their financial history, Gates or Bezos could be the world's first trillionaire...

Rachel Maddow, the darling of the left, opened my eyes last week with her spot-on analysis of the riots in Venezuela. Despite the fact that Venezuela has experienced social and economic unrest for years, Maddow blames President Trump for the upheaval now underway there...

Over the Easter weekend, Chicago proved once again why it has become the poster child of urban violence. In just one 18-hour period, 29 people were shot in the Windy City. Despite this senseless carnage, law enforcement officials in Chicago are touting the fact that shootings are actually less this year than last year...

On Monday, new Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch joined the high court after a lengthy political battle that included a planned filibuster and the extraordinary use of the "nuclear option" to finally fill the seat of the late Justice Anthony Scalia...

Newly-elected Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez went on a profanity-filled rant this weekend claiming -- among other things -- that "Donald Trump did not win the election and Republicans don't give a s**t about people." Keep in mind, this is no obscure city councilman from Davenport. This is the chief spokesman for today's Democratic Party. And as such, the Democrats own him...

Maybe it's time we rushed to judgment. It seems that each and every time something terror-related occurs anywhere in the world, the liberal cartel warns the public against "rushing to judgment." We're constantly told with stern authority that even though a Middle Eastern male with a social media profile chocked full of ISIS-inspired rhetoric has committed a heinous act of violence, we are not to rush to judgment that the act is terrorist related...

Two bills are crawling through the Missouri Legislature that would add an interesting new twist to driver-education classes in our state. If approved -- and don't count on it -- new prospective drivers in Missouri would learn about driving safety, traffic signs and how to play nice with law enforcement if you are asked to pull over...

A newly released video of Michael Brown has surfaced adding more fuel to a racial fire that has simmered in Ferguson, Missouri, for two years. The video debuted at a film festival this weekend and shows Brown in the now-famous Ferguson convenience store the night before his shooting death...

Residents of north St. Louis gathered recently for a community meeting to discuss issues relating to an EPA Superfund toxic landfill smack dab in the middle of their neighborhood. Living near a toxic landfill is risky business from countless standpoints. The health issues are obviously concerning and the gathered crowd at the meeting shared stories of ailments that resulted from their proximity to the toxic swamp...

Depending on just what version of the prevailing landscape you believe, it's either a wonderful time to live in America or it's the absolute worst time in history to be an American. I always find it somewhat amusing that people can view the same set of rules and come to such radically different conclusions. But alas, that's where we find ourselves...

Sen. John McCain has become the face of the internal GOP opposition to many of the programs and policy proposals by newly elected President Donald Trump. But McCain's pushback should come as no surprise. The Arizona senator has never embraced Trump starting early in the campaign...

This is where we find ourselves three months post-2016 presidential election. All semblance of unity has clearly been abandoned by the left in favor of continued protests and disruptions. The United States has given way to disunity by a grievance class financed and supported by those who loathe western values...

As I have said repeatedly, protests are part of the fabric of our democracy and have been a staple in American politics since the very beginning. And protests of all sorts give voice to those who feel their views and positions are not being heard. But it's also important to draw a line between protests and riots. What we are too often seeing these days are riots camouflaged as protests...

So, how's he doing so far? Judging from the constipation on the left, I'd say the newly inaugurated president is doing exactly what he said during the campaign. President Donald Trump's highly controversial travel ban, directed at seven predominately Muslim nations, has been met with massive protests from progressives. They seem to ignore, however, similar bans during World War II, Vietnam and the Iranian hostage crisis...

After a well-deserved victory lap, the GOP majorities in the House and Senate need to quietly get down to the business of restoring America. And the key word is quietly. By now we should understand that the left has not and perhaps never will fully accept the legitimacy of Donald Trump...

In this historic week of a presidential inauguration, it seems odd to be writing about artwork. But here we go. Sen. Roy Blunt is the first Missourian to head the Congressional Inauguration Committee and, in that role, has selected a famous painting by Missouri artist George Caleb Bingham to hang in Washington during the massive celebrations in the Capitol...

In just over a week, Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as the nation's 45th president and, by virtually any measure, America will take on a new direction. I can't think of any past comparison where an incoming administration is so starkly different from the current regime...

As the unbridled joy of the Christmas season approaches that special day, I find myself increasingly concerned about Michelle Obama's hopelessness. The first lady last week expressed her dismay at the current state of politics and her hopeless view of this new political landscape...

In a soul-searching interview this week, the executive editor of the influential New York Times made an amazing admission. The news guru said his newspaper underestimated the anxiety of American voters during the Presidential campaign. But then he admitted that media powerhouses like the New York Times and the Washington Post "don't get religion."...

I was honored this past week to participate in a panel discussion of sorts designed to explore ways to improve a community in all aspects from jobs to health care delivery to education and crime. Among the takeaways from that lively give-and-take was the universal agreement that a solid educational foundation was the key element to a community's success...

I had honestly and perhaps naively thought our national focus would be on the upcoming holidays with the election now in our rearview mirror. But the mainstream media remain obsessed with protests, recounts and rumored turmoil in the transition of administrations...

Thanksgiving is that uniquely American holiday that offers us a chance to pause and reflect on the abundant blessings and opportunities in our lives. It's a holiday abounding with food and relatives, naps and football and, if you're lucky, leftovers...

I have spent the last joyous week deleting hundreds -- if not thousands -- of Hillary Clinton-related emails, articles, cartoons and commentary. This years-long collection served as inspiration and ammunition to address the twisted policies of her ultimately failed effort to return to the White House...

As hard as it is to imagine, a sizable segment of the voting public has yet to decide on their presidential choice. By some polling, that undecided voting bloc may approach 10 percent. At the same time, an estimated 10 percent of voters have taken advantage of early voting laws and have already cast their ballots...

If national polling is to be believed, then Hillary Clinton is poised to become our next president. Granted, the Business Investors' poll -- which has been extremely accurate the last three elections -- gives an edge to Donald Trump by a slim 2 percent...

As hard as I try, it's impossible to avoid political discussions as the clock ticks down to Nov. 8. In my lifetime, at least a half dozen presidential elections have been billed as "the most important vote in the history of America." Those words are being spoken this year and it may well be accurate this time...

Monday night's first presidential debate was a production of style over substance. Both disappointing and chaotic, the match-up between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton failed to live up to expectations in many ways. Trump failed time and time again to strike Clinton on her most vulnerable issues -- immigration, her private email server, Benghazi or the Clinton Foundation...

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...