Paul Luvera Journal

Lita and I flew to Scottsdale on Monday for some sun and relaxation at our home in Scottsdale. It isn't just a move from Northwest weather to sunny Arizona weather, it is a move from one culture to another. I don't know where to start in explaining what I mean, but let's start with politics for example. Eighty year old Senator John McCain, first elected to the Senate in 1986, is running again for reelection to the United States Senate….

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The Reverend Franklin Graham's  exhortation to Christians regarding their presidential vote was based upon the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy. The media  reports: Franklin Graham did not advocate for either Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump, but he exhorted those in attendance to research the two parties’ platforms to determine which candidate would nominate Supreme Court justices who would defend religious values. The difference between the parties, he said, was “night and day.” Reverend Graham and the presidential candidates and their…

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I suspect most everyone is very tired of all the politics and hearing about politics. However, after watching last night's Republican convention talk by Donald Trump I can't help but express my fears about the presidential election from my standpoint as a Democrat.I think that most of the political issues that have been discussed and which were reviewed last night at the Republican convention and the talk by candidate Donald Trump relate to issues of values,  self-interest and survivorship. They…

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In the TV series Newsroom Jeff Daniels stars as Will McAvoy, a veteran news anchor. It's brilliant writing is by Aaron Sorkin, his first  television show in six years. In one scene, McAvoy is  part of a panel at a college and  "snaps" when a young woman student asks the panel what makes the United States "the greatest country in the world?" and unloads his contrary view to the college audience. Here's an excerpt of  what he tells them:  "Hey– – And with a straight face you're…

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Chis Lay is a electronics designer who created this graph on how to decide who to vote for in the primaries. The Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com) reprinted it and I thought it was amusing enough it was all you need to know to make  your decision on how to vote in the primaries so here it is, but with a full disclaimer: this isn't how I see it but I do think it amusing. NOTE: CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLAGE

The reason there is gridlock in Congress, the reason politicians are totally failing in carrying out their constitutional duties and the reason the balance of power provided in the Constitution is no long working is because of big money in politics and government. Until there is campaign funding reform and control over the flow of money into politics and government we will continue to experience this dysfunctional excuse of governing. Whatever you think of Bernie Sanders, on this particular issue he…

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You probably remember the Three Stooges, not from their 1920s vaudeville comedy act, but from their movies which are still being shown. Well, last night Larry, Moe and Curley gave us another comedy act only it was Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump who enacted their slap stick craziness  on the debate stage. Yes, these are the same men who want to be president of the United States of America. It was a virtual circus with everything but the three main…

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When Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R – KY) within hours of Justice Scalia's death declared that the Senate would not even hold hearings on any replacement proposed by the president no matter what the Constitution provides, it wasn't all that surprising. This party has deteriorated from the days when it put public good before political self-interest to the point of chaos and internal dissension we find it in today. When the party, for political self-interest, took under its wing tea party…

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