By Lee H. Hamilton Do ordinary citizens still have a voice in Washington and in their state capitals? Despite the cynicism of these times, my answer is, yes, we do. But we have to exercise it. I don’t just mean […]
Tag: Lee H. Hamilton
Op - Ed, Opinion
Congress needs to reassert itself on use of force
By Lee H. Hamilton The Trump administration, like its predecessors, has shown an apparent appetite for the use of force overseas. The “mother of all bombs” dropped on Syrian troops, saber-rattling toward North Korea, proposed deployments of U.S. forces in […]
Op - Ed, Opinion
In praise of pragmatism
By Lee H. Hamilton As you watch the healthcare proceedings on Capitol Hill, imagine what things might be like if we lived in more functional political times. In particular, what if Congress were run by pragmatists? It would not change […]
Op - Ed, Opinion
Want to govern effectively, Mr. Trump?
By Lee H. Hamilton As Mario Cuomo said, politicians campaign in poetry but have to govern in prose. Now we have a president-elect who campaigned in tweets…but still will have to govern in prose. So, like a few thousand other […]
Op - Ed, Opinion
Why fake news is dangerous
By Lee H. Hamilton Franklin Roosevelt once said, “Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely.” He was talking about why education matters in a representative democracy, but it’s a safe bet that had […]
Op - Ed, Opinion
Even voting is at issue in this election
By Lee H. Hamilton One of the more intriguing aspects of this unusual election year is the extent to which the underpinning of the election itself — voting — has become an issue in its own right. An act that […]
Op - Ed, Opinion
A sobering look beyond the election
By Lee H. Hamilton This campaign year has been full of twists and turns. We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, let alone on Nov. 8. So talking about what comes afterward seems premature. But it’s been on my […]
Op - Ed, Opinion
Why this Democrat wants a strong Republican Party
By Lee H. Hamilton I’ve been a Democrat all my life. But that doesn’t mean I favor a weak Republican Party. Indeed, just the opposite. Before my Democratic friends drum me out of the party, let me explain why. Our […]
Op - Ed, Opinion
Social media’s challenge to democracy
By Lee H. Hamilton I’ve been involved in politics for the better part of a lifetime and have spoken at a lot of public meetings over the years. There’s one question, I think, that I’ve heard more than any other: […]
Opinion
Where the election stands
By Lee H. Hamilton The next few weeks in politics are a little like the All-Star break in baseball. With the Republican and Democratic national conventions upon us, it’s a good time to step back and assess this year’s election. […]