Death and Ideas

Dave Davis Commentary, Policy, Uncategorized , , , ,

Three things that came to the fore recently: the Charlie Kirk assassination, the miserable test scores of our high school seniors, and a poll showing almost forty percent of Americans prefer Socialism over Capitalism. Linking the three might not seem obvious, but hear me out.

Politics and economics, like nature, abhor a vacuum. If something important is lacking, someone will fill it. College campuses were once devoted to open debate of virtually everything. Adherence to the Socratic Method underlay the great universities of the world. Yet when Charlie Kirk came on the scene, he found that many of the great questions of the day, some of which were deciding our elections, were no longer discussed on campuses. Immigration, economics, abortion, law and order, equality vs. equity, whatever was no longer up for discussion.

Ruling out challenges to the prevailing consensus in our great institutions of learning resulted in faculties and administrations, especially in the humanities, of a single persuasion. This situation prevailed when Kirk tried to fill this void. Willing to debate the issues of the day on any campus, he faced threats, derision, and being shouted down when he tried to ask and answer questions.

Charlie Kirk wasn’t some rabble-rouser; he was just the opposite. He listened and tried to answer each question. As one can gather from this blog, I had many disagreements with Kirk’s positions, but I still wanted to hear what he had to say. At another time, this interaction was the way we progressed. Free exchange broadened our knowledge and understanding.

So, how is it in a land that supposedly values free speech, Charlie Kirk was a novelty who paid for his ideas with his life? Is our educational system at all levels designed to mold young minds or help them reach their full potential?

After spending ever more money and setting up the Department of Education at the natioal level, 45% of our seniors fail to meet the basic math standard. A third can’t read at the standard level. In a world where change is occurring at an increasingly rapid pace, how are we preparing our children for a life of learning?

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Biden Lost It. What About Trump?

Dave Davis Commentary, Policy, Uncategorized , , , ,

We have experienced what was probably the biggest presidential cover-up in history, with the measures taken to hide Joe Biden’s cognitive decline. These stealth actions resulted in the disastrous Afghan pullout, the highest inflation in forty years, two wars, and an attempt to forgive billions of student loans simply by executive order. Only James Buchanan’s Administration compares in failure.

Now I’m worried we’re seeing a repeat, possibly on a grander scale. Given some of his actions, we have to consider that Donald Trump is increasingly delusional. Compared to the tired and confused Biden, many people will point to Trump’s hyperactivity as proving that old age isn’t affecting him. This conclusion ignores the fact that manic activity itself is a danger sign.

It’s difficult to believe that the people closest to us are unaware of a person’s decline or their personality traits becoming extreme. Just as the Democrats in and out of the white house had to know Biden wasn’t up to the job and getting worse, Republicans and others in the white house and Congress seem to ignore a troubled Trump.

Even with visual knowledge of Biden’s decline, Democrats discouraged anyone else from running for President. Dean Phillips, the only one who mounted a challenge, was ultimately driven from the party. For reasons of personal ambition, misplaced loyalty, a devious plan, or fear of reprisal, Democrats stood with Biden until a disastrous debate made his failing clear to everybody. Could something similar be taking place on the other side?

Tariffs are the centerpiece of the Trump administration, so that’s a good place to start. While not the easiest subject for an average person, it is undoubtedly within the realm of administration experts. Afghanistan seemed far away and wasn’t much on the public’s mind until the situation escalated. Tariffs aren’t easily understood, but they can now harm businesses, disrupt the nation’s finances, and even lead to a Constitutional crisis.

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The Majority Leader Must Lead

Dave Davis Commentary, Policy, Uncategorized , , , ,

John Thune is on the hot seat. Most Americans would ask, Who is that? He’s the Republican majority leader of the Senate, one of the most powerful positions in the U.S. He replaced the long-serving Mitch McConnell, the brilliant political strategist who dominated much of the Senate’s actions for decades. Thune is responsible for moving legislation and appointments through the Senate.

While he did yeoman work shepherding President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bil” through the Senate, he has thwarted the will of the Senate to please the President. Eighty-five members signed onto the Graham-Blumenthal Russian sanctions bill, yet the Republican leadership under Thune has not brought the legislation to the floor. After the failure of the Alaska summit to achieve a ceasefire due to Putin’s intransigence, it’s time to apply maximum pressure on Russia.

As I’ve pointed out, the Trump administration has been visibly tougher on Ukraine than Russia. The administration’s theory was to bring the latter to the negotiating table. Well, Trump met with Putin, and Putin came away with enhanced prestige while giving up nothing. The Russian attacks on civilians have intensified. If there was ever a time to deal Russia pain, it’s now.

What we are getting from the administration is, at best, mixed signals. Instead of blaming the continued fighting on Putin, the Trump administration holds both countries equally to blame. While acknowledging Russian attacks on civilians, Caroline Leavitt, the presidential press secretary, pointed out that Ukraine had taken out 20% of Russia’s fuel capacity. This equivalence is an apples-and-oranges comparison. Oil refineries and pipelines have always been legitimate war targets, while direct civilian targeting is a war crime.

Even stranger is the recent disclosure that Exxon is in talks with Russians regarding the development of Russian oil assets. Why would the largest American oil company be cleared to work with the Russians to increase output? Russia pays for this ugly war with oil sales. How is it in our interest to help Russia?

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…Full Of Sound And Fury, Signifying Nothing

Dave Davis Commentary, Policy, Uncategorized , , , ,

In his 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump claimed he would end the Ukraine war in 24 hours. He won, but the first 24 hours came and went with Ukrainian civilians still targeted and killed—no action taken against Russia. In February, President Trump and Vice President Vance bullied Zelenskyy in the Oval Office to consider what he would offer for a ceasefire. Ukrainian civilians are still being targeted and killed, and no U.S. action against Russia.

In July, Trump temporarily halted arms shipments to Ukraine. Later in the month, he gave Putin 50 days to agree to a ceasefire, which he then shortened to 10-12 days. Ukrainian civilians continued to be targeted and killed, with no U.S. action taken against Russia.

In early August, the U.S. agreed to sell a billion dollars of weapons to Europeans to give to Ukraine. President Trump arranged to meet Putin in Alaska on August 15th to negotiate a ceasefire. Putin being seen as a great national leader rather than an international pariah, forestalling any severe sanctions, while the war continues, underlay his attendance.

As the two Presidents returned home, it was clear that Trump had failed to secure a ceasefire, whereas Putin had achieved all his objectives. Ukrainian civilians continued to be targeted and killed, with no U.S. action taken against Russia.

Somewhere, Trump got the idea that Putin was open to a NATO-like force on the ground and in the air that would keep Ukraine safe, even if it gave Russia vital defensive territory. European leaders descended on Washington on Monday to discuss the details of the peacekeeping force and to praise Trump.

Russia claims it went into Ukraine to prevent Western troops stationed on its borders, so it’s fanciful to believe it is suddenly OK now. Then all the attendees went home. Ukrainian civilians continued to be targeted and killed, with no U.S. action taken against Russia.

Now that a few days have elapsed, it’s clear Russia agreed to nothing, saying that Ukraine’s guarantors should include Russia and China, each with a veto. Any further meeting, either between Putin and Zelenskyy or one that also includes Trump, would require extensive prior groundwork. Ukrainian civilians continued to be targeted and killed, with no action taken against Russia.

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Justice Delayed

Dave Davis Commentary, Policy, Uncategorized , , , ,

Continuing the discussion of how the government can provide the structure for the beneficial interactions of its citizens. One of the significant differences between the government and the private sector is the sense of time. The latter values it, and it’s primary to any planning. The incentives in the public sector are often the reverse. The more time it takes, the more secure their jobs and funding. We need to pinpoint where this attitude impedes commerce and people’s lives, and find ways to get the government on board, whether it likes it or not.

In my last post, I showed how vital a fair legal system is to capitalism and a properly functioning economy. It’s alarming, then, that our court system is a major culprit in preventing us from reaching our potential. Operating at a glacial pace, our courts seem little changed from the 16th-century British courts, except we don’t don wigs.

William E. Gladstone popularized the truism, “Justice delayed is justice denied.” A widely accepted principle, but often ignored in practice, it’s also costly. The current lawsuit, V.O.S. Selections v. Trump, illustrates just how expensive the Administration’s tariffs are. Filed shortly after Trump announced “Liberation Day” tariffs on April 2, 2025, the Court of International Trade blocked their implementation on May 28 on grounds that the President exceeded his powers—a timely decision based on seemingly strong grounds, rendered before significant harm.

Given the extent of the damage that improperly levied tariffs would do if left in place, it would seem to a layperson that blocking their implementation until finally adjudicated is sensible.

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