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Civil Candor

political cynicism for turbulent times

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2016 Election

Hope Won’t Bring American Greatness. Will Fear?

January 15, 2016 by Bob Prokop Leave a Comment

McChord Air Force Base crewmember in front of U.S. Air Force Base C-17A Globemaster jet out of McChord AFB, Washington at Pegasus Runway, McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica.

Speaking to hope that’s always just out of reach doesn’t turn failure into accomplishment. That’s a mistake we heard more than once during Tuesday night’s State of the Union. Getting your party elected doesn’t create greatness just because you don’t like what the current administration has done, either. We heard that mistake during the Republican retort. Besides, fear works … [Read more...] about Hope Won’t Bring American Greatness. Will Fear?

Emotions That Win Votes by Tricking People

October 30, 2015 by Bob Prokop Leave a Comment

This is your brain on politics

The man that perfected divisive “us and them” politics claimed to reject one of his favorite political weapons in a speech on policing in Chicago.1 Calling it “shocking” that candidates would resort to his own brand of divisiveness, President Obama blamed others for stirring up the same negative emotions that he is still using to bring in money and win votes by tricking people … [Read more...] about Emotions That Win Votes by Tricking People

What You Believe Is Not Your Opinion, So Whose Is It?

October 23, 2015 by Bob Prokop Leave a Comment

Thomas Jefferson worried about electioneering.

Who decides what you believe about politics and current events? Is your opinion yours, or someone else’s creation? More often than not, the controversies we obsess over aren’t nearly as big as they sound. They seem important, but they don’t affect a lot of people. That’s because our opinions on popular hot buttons are not ours. Someone paid for us to have them. Where … [Read more...] about What You Believe Is Not Your Opinion, So Whose Is It?

America is Great, but How Do We Make it Good?

July 5, 2015 by Bob Prokop Leave a Comment

No presidential candidate will claim that America isn’t great. That kind of heresy would be political suicide. No matter what party they have pledged allegiance to, anyone running for our nation’s highest office will proudly proclaim that America is great and always has been. Then they will tell you how we can make it better because while our nation has a history of greatness, … [Read more...] about America is Great, but How Do We Make it Good?

Campaign Promises for 2016 You Should Never Believe

June 7, 2015 by Bob Prokop Leave a Comment

21st century politics does not mean the Federal Government has entered a new, high-tech era of responsiveness, transparency, and accountability. Just the opposite is true. It means our sprawling bureaucracy’s inability to keep up with the times will become more glaring. It also means that timeworn campaign promises being made again for 2016 have to be refashioned so they still … [Read more...] about Campaign Promises for 2016 You Should Never Believe

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