Author Archives: bfiaralphscharnau

Health Care Should Be A Human Right

Posted on June 7, 2017 by bfiaralphscharnau

by Ralph Scharnau The human right to health care means that everyone gets the highest standard of care for physical and mental health. Individuals should receive this care regardless of age, disability, gender, sexual identification, geographical location, urban/suburban/rural domicile, political … Continue reading →

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The Perils of Standardized Testing

Posted on April 10, 2017 by bfiaralphscharnau

by Ralph Scharnau There is less public discourse on standardized testing today than a few years ago. This comes, partially at least, from President Donald Trump’s penchant for using twitter. His nearly daily tweets often chaotically careen from one topic … Continue reading →

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The Electoral College, Selecting Presidents by an Elitist Constitutional Measure

Posted on March 6, 2017 by bfiaralphscharnau

by Ralph Scharnau The successful war for independence was a political, rather than a social, upheaval that secured American freedom from British colonialism. Fearing a unitary monarchy, the new American government created a representative system with separate legislative, executive, and … Continue reading →

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A Few Important Things That Occurred In The Year 2016

Posted on January 5, 2017 by bfiaralphscharnau

by Ralph Scharnau Many people and most news gathering organizations put the presidential election as the top issue for 2016. Yet a number of other noteworthy things happened as well. Here are five of the year’s other significant happenings. Not … Continue reading →

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Reflections On Labor Day 2016

Posted on September 9, 2016 by bfiaralphscharnau

Labor Day means much more than sales events and holiday excursions. The day honors the men and women who provide the work that fuels our economy. Reports of falling unemployment, growing wages, and rising consumer confidence in the United States … Continue reading →

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American Freedoms, an Ongoing Struggle

Posted on July 7, 2016 by bfiaralphscharnau

How we view ourselves individually and as a nation often comes down to one idea, freedom. Freedom, the central term in our politics, is embedded in our history and our language. It is used interchangeably with liberty in the Declaration … Continue reading →

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The Supreme Court, The Republicans, And Democracy

Posted on April 11, 2016 by bfiaralphscharnau

Within an hour of the news of Justice Antonin Scalia’s death on February 13, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., ruled out Senate consideration of any U.S. Supreme Court nominee until the inauguration of the next president in 2017. This … Continue reading →

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Scalia And The Second Amendment, Guns And The NRA

Posted on March 11, 2016 by bfiaralphscharnau

The recent sudden death of 79 year old Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia brought renewed attention to one of his most heralded and criticized decisions on the Second Amendment. The Amendment states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the … Continue reading →

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Powers of the Federal Government and the State Governments

Posted on February 10, 2016 by bfiaralphscharnau

by Ralph Scharnau Under the Constitution, the United States operates with a federal government and state governments. Clashes between the states and the federal government over their respective authorities have long been a regular feature of our politics. One important … Continue reading →

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Pope Francis On Climate Change And Our Common Home

Posted on October 8, 2015 by bfiaralphscharnau

by Ralph Scharnau As the spiritual leader of 1.2 billion Catholics and the first to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress, Pope Francis’s recent visit drew large enthusiastic crowds in Washington, D.C., New York City, and Philadelphia. In … Continue reading →

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