The annual American ritual of March Madness, the popular name for the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, is in full swing, and I am once again caught up in the fray.As a child of … more

It’s often said that generals are always ready to fight the last war, and it seems the same applies to the U.S. Federal Reserve when it comes to its ongoing battle with inflation. Central … more

The northern Minnesota political drama in recent weeks has been compelling. The Ely City Council presented yet another resolution (their 8th or 9th?) in favor of copper sulfide mining. A town hall … more

We think Rep. Roger Skraba should be reconsidering the company he keeps.We actually had some hope that Rep. Skraba could make a decent lawmaker in St. Paul. Over the years, he has run for any number … more

We Americans live in a representative democracy. That’s a fundamental feature of public life in the United States, a part of who we are as a people. We elect leaders to make decisions on our … more

The organized effort by conservative activists in northern Minnesota to push an agenda opposed to gun safety is deceptive and county commissioners across the region shouldn’t fall for it. The … more

It’d been a long winter already when I was hit with a flu bug that sent me into quarantine for two weeks. After a few days, determined not to let the isolation drive me crazy, I came across a … more

There but for the grace of God.It’s worth considering that the recent environmental disaster created by the train derailment near East Palestine, Ohio, could have devastated virtually any … more

I’ll never forget the day in eighth grade when I was digging around through a box of my Dad’s college papers in the basement and came across a family tree he’d done. There was a … more

“Small Is Beautiful.”That was the title of the influential 1973 economics and philosophy primer by E.F. Schumacher, but it also appears to be a good description of what it takes to be a … more