BY RICHARD C. GROSS “Only the dead have seen the end of war.” — George Santayana, Spanish-American philosopher, 1863–1952 We in the West watch the slaughter in Eastern Europe as if it were a football game, rooting for an underdog team as it courageously stands up to a stronger adversary. …

BY RICHARD C. GROSS “Yes, how many times will it take ’til he knows That too many people have died.” — Bob Dylan, “Blowin’ in the Wind,” 1963 President Joe Biden needs to start saying no to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But it’s not easy and it’s complicated. The adversaries…

BY RICHARD C. GROSS “Without the truth of the people, politics degenerates into mere spectacle and democracy declines, leaving demagoguery and cynicism to fill the void.” — Jerry Brown, Democratic California governor, 1975–1983 and 2011–2019 Rightwing Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is overturning every liberal rock in his state of Florida…

BY RICHARD C. GROSS “If you want to get along, go along” — Sam Rayburn, 1882–1961, three-time Democratic House speaker If there’s a symbol of the Republican Party today, it’s heralded replicant Rep. George Santos of New York, known resume creator. If that, indeed, is his real name. He’s right…

BY RICHARD C. GROSS “Two souls live in me, alas, Irreconcilable with one another.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “Faust,” 1808, 1832 Republican Kevin McCarthy of California sold his soul and the House of Representatives to the Devil of Congress, the juvenile far-right flank of his party, in exchange for…

BY RICHARD C. GROSS “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” — Martin Luther King Jr., 1929–1968 Just as he appeared to have destroyed so much in the course of his life, twice impeached Donald J. Trump may have condemned his presidency to the dumpster of history. He’ll leave…

Don’t Mess with the Constitution “The house of delusions is cheap to build but drafty to live in.” — A.E. Houseman, English poet (1859–1936) BY RICHARD C. GROSS Trump touched the Constitution, a third rail that set off political sparks in both parties. “A Massive Fraud of this type and…

A Way to Dump Trump BY RICHARD C. GROSS “In politics, stupidity is not a handicap.” — Napoleon Bonaparte An intriguing proposal is in the works, backed by a congressman, that could sideline Trump from seeking the White House forever. The means is in the Constitution. It’s been implemented three…

BY RICHARD C. GROSS “If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?” — William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice (Act III, Scene I) Rabbi Marvin…