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Can Brazil and Venezuela tolerate opposition?

Latin American democracy is being put to the test in Brazil and Venezuela. At stake is whether the left-wing government in either country can countenance the idea of legitimate opposition. The day after losing Brazil's presidential election, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro had his personal and ...

The BCS wasn't perfect, but did it get something right?

Although I always complained about the BCS era of college football, when the Coaches' Poll and the AP Poll rankings were used with computer algorithms that factored in strength of schedule and win-loss records to crown a national champion, I'm now beginning to think this 16-year period really ...

First and last: How life prepared me to lead

A few days ago, my wife and I sat and watched Neil Young sing "Old Man," a song written decades ago by a young man who looks at an older one and recognizes himself. I have heard it many times over the years, but this time it landed differently. I am closer now to the old man in that song than ...

The France riots are not what MAGA says they are

Polls being what they are, Republicans and their supporters must be feeling a bit like the condemned Frenchmen who rode to the guillotine during the Reign of Terror. It's fitting, then, that they are seizing on unrest in France as a desperate campaign gambit. "The Riots in France Are a Warning ...

It is Ukraine today, will it be Taiwan or South Korea tomorrow?

As President Donald Trump turns his back on Ukraine and its president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, it begs the question: Is Taiwan vs. China or South Korea vs. North Korea next? Dictator bullies seem to attract the admiration of one another. They could also regrettably gain Trump's tacit support. Trump's highly questionable claim that we have been in a war against Iran pales in comparison to wars (cold and hot) that we had with the U.S.S.R. (Russia) and North Korea. We won the former and tied the latter. Russia is not our friend, and is not to be trusted. The Cold War against the U.S.S.R. ...

When anger turns against the city

What is troubling about the unrest spreading across Europe is not that people are taking to the streets. Protest is a legitimate part of democratic life. People have the right to object when fuel becomes unaffordable, schools deteriorate, public services fail, and housing slips beyond reach. ...