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The Shame of JD Vance

Vance has made himself an avatar for the moral and ethical vacuum at the heart of American government. He's not worthy to play Bingo at a parish fund raiser.

Brotherly Love

This is my midlife crisis, I guess. Instead of buying a ridiculous car, or taking up with a far-too-young cocktail waitress at the Las Vegas Sands, I'm renovating my house.

Choking Chester

Those of you who've been receiving this for a little while may recall my post from February about the trash incinerator in Chester, PA, where my book, The Mayor, is set. Well, now Chester is set to receive another dose of health-damaging pollution thanks to Donald Trump.

Burn Down the Think Tanks

I tried to explain to Third Way almost a decade ago when I was asked to come to Washington to speak to them...

Update! The Scam Economy and the Populist Myth

It's a good illustration of the corruption that has infected our government and the finance industry, corruption that comes at the expense of common people trying to save a little money. It highlights the myth of Trump's "populism."

Wall Street Comes to Fayette: Update 5

While the Wall Street players battle in court, people like those in Fayette – and Cleveland, Toledo, Indiana, and so on – are out of work and retirees who put in their years are scrambling for money.

Cool Buildings, Chester and New York, and My Transport Nightmare

I was in New York this last week to record the "Introduction" and "Acknowledgments" for the audiobook version of The Mayor. My publisher, St. Martin's, wisely would not let me within a hundred miles of recording the body of the book. Another guy, actor

The Scam Economy and the Populist Myth

On May 9, 2025, Gentile was sentenced to seven years in federal prison. Gentile reported to prison in November. Twelve days later, Donald Trump commuted Gentile's sentence to time served.

Private Equity (Again) and an Update

"It's like, what?" one said to me of his fellow docs who sold out, "A BMW wasn't good enough? You need a Ferrari?"

Memorial Day Wisdom from Charlie Madison

Those of you who follow my work (I prefer to think of you as an elite deep underground minority, sort of like the Apostles) may know that I revere Paddy Chayefsky, the great screenwriter. So today I'd like to display here a great speech written by Chayefsky, and

Bend Over and Open Wide

Musk is an obvious threat to our democracy, but Schmidt and the rest are, too, because they are traitors to the idea of America, the only country founded as an idea.

Chester's "School Choice"

People Do Read Books

I was traveling this week. I went to Columbus, Ohio. I saw some friends, but the main purpose of my visit was to talk with author and Congressional candidate Beth Macy. She's running in Virginia. I hope she wins. The Columbus Metropolitan Library invited me to do a

Confessions of a Teenage Republican

I've often mentioned that I am a former president of the Fairfield County, Ohio Teenage Republicans. I make a lot of jokes about it, and tell stories of how I worked for Richard Nixon when I was nine years old. I did not really work for Richard Nixon.