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The Constitution and the Soldier
Every member of the US Armed Forces takes an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. But as the Annenberg survey (Annenberg 2024, Annenberg 2023 ) reports, many Americans have a limited understanding of the Constitution. For example, in 2023 and 2024, only two-thirds or respondents could name the three branches of government. The results were even lower when they delved into the articles of the Constitution and the amendments. I’ll admit that even though I went to good schools and took honors courses, I never read the Constitution itself, just the course notes in the few courses that even…
Surveys, Polls, Cognitive Bias and Election Results
(Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/us/elections/polls-president.html) One common thread in the stories of the 2024 election is that Trump came from behind to win the election. But what if that is not the true story? What if the polling data was flawed? How…
- Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive, Critical Thinking, Decision-making, Machine Learning, Relevant range
Insanity and Relevant Range: Implications for ML and AI
Insanity and Relevant Range: Implications for ML and AI Einstein once said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. On the surface, this makes sense. But perhaps it is like the…
The Warrior Ethos: Part 2, Culture
Recall from part 1, Mirriam-webster defines Ethos as: “the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution”. Ethos is a manifestation of the cultural matrix from which it emerges. As the core culture changes,…
The Warrior Ethos: Part 1 Introduction
When a friend asked me to write a series on restoring the Warrior Ethos to the military, I started pondering a series of questions: What is a “warrior ethos”? How do we know it is missing and needs to…
Culture and Strategy: A Match not a Competition
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” – various, possibly Peter Drucker. “It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out nor more doubtful of success nor more dangerous to handle than to initiate a new order of…
Comparative Politics and Political Change: what Works and Why?
“A Republic, if you can keep it.” Bejamin Franklin. When I was in graduate school, I took a course on comparative political systems. The course readings seemed to favor the parliamentary system, and I took a bit of an…
Democracy: Is the US Defining the Right Target for National Security?
“What is liberty without wisdom and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils, for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint.” –Edmund Burke “Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without…
Politics and Candidate Types
Remember back to the distant past of 1991? The US had just won the Gulf War and President George H. W. Bush was riding high and looked unbeatable. None of the leading Democrats wanted to run against him and risk…
Politics, Politicians, and Accountability
There are currently 10 members of the House of Representatives, over 80. Eight are Democrats and two are Republicans. Historically, 64 were in Congress 40 years or longer. Most of these are/were Democrats as well. Five Senators are over…
Our Atavistic Fears
When I sit in my garden office, I often smile at the squirrels, rabbits, and birds as they move about eating and socializing. But on the times that I see the local black snake, I cringe a bit. Now,…
