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Post-COVID, the world is still trying to catch its breath

We talk about recovery as though it’s something everyone experiences the same way. That’s not true. In many places, recovery never came. Food costs more. Medicine costs more. And for millions of people, just getting through the day is still a struggle. I’ve been in those places. I’ve watched women dig into a dry riverbed to find a little muddy water, scoop it up, and carry it home on top of their heads. Not because it was clean and not because it was enough, but because it was something. And I learned something in those moments. When the well runs dry or the pump ...

Daffodils, omelets and Rosemary Clooney

Is it finally Spring? I think Mother Nature might have made up her mind. She has been sort of a brat about it: “Oh let’s give them a nice day that soars above 78 degrees but plunges them down to 19 overnight. And tomorrow, bright sunshine but keep it at a high of 36. That should keep them guessing.” We’ve been guessing alright. I don’t know whether to leave the house in a black down winter jacket, a cardigan sweater or a striped summer tee top. I still have both boots and flip-flops by the front door. I don’t understand how the daffodils and jonquils have put up with it. ...

Embrace tax fairness to address America’s economic anxiety

What would an extra $1,000 mean for your family’s financial security? Would it help cover essentials, pay bills, or repair your home or car? At a time when affordability is top of mind for many Americans, every extra dollar matters. The most recent consumer sentiment report confirms that economic anxiety is very real, finding that Americans haven’t felt this pessimistic about the economy in over a decade. Even high earners are feeling financially pinched. Congress says affordability is a priority, but real relief requires real policy changes. While lawmakers debate broader ...

Continuing education in humor serious business

Long car drives are good for sweeping out the sticky cobwebs. Lottsa time to think. On my way back from the writing conference I recently attended in Dayton, I had 375 highway miles to review the stimulating weekend, to relive many new stories. The conference’s real name is the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop. It is named for Erma, the housewife humorist and distinguished alumna of the University of Dayton, the conference venue. She began writing for her school newspaper in junior high school. And never quit. Dayton is a Catholic University. It was Brother Tom Price, Erma’s ...

Having some taste watching the money

Recently, there was an article published by the Times Observer, “RDA Approves Loan for City Business.” On Facebook, this resulted in a spirited flood of comments, mostly from people recognizing that a 3% loan for a high-failure restaurant over 15 years is a negative investment from the city. The Fed funds rate is 3.75% and bank loans are probably in the 6% range. Assuming the business survives 15 years; most restaurants fail before year seven. In the comments, many people had mentioned this was “taxpayer money” and that the city has “too many pizza places” and it wasn’t ...

No pay for Congress until they fund the government

Funding the government is the most basic constitutional function of Congress. When lawmakers repeatedly fail at this fundamental task, it shows just how dysfunctional our legislative system has become. In the last six months, America has endured three government shutdowns. The latest — a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security — is now in its seventh week and is a clear example of this systemic failure. It is an embarrassment to the country and creates real harm: serious hardship for federal workers and their families, billions of dollars in economic losses, risks to ...