John McCain likes to say that one of his heroes or idols or whatever is Teddy Roosevelt - the Republican President at the beginning of the 20th Century.  This writer is also a fan of Roosevelt.  While there are similarities in these men, there are also distinct differences. These differences are rooted in their upbringing.
ROOSEVELT:
Teddy [...]

John McCain likes to say that one of his model Presidents is Teddy Roosevelt - the Republican President at the beginning of the 20th Century.  This writer is also a fan of Roosevelt.  There are stark differences in the world view of McCain and Roosevelt.  Roosevelt was deliberately forceful, McCain reacts out of anger.
The similarities [...]

We were watching the old Topol character in Fiddler on the Roof. He portrays a man who struggles with tradition, struggles with the idea of changing ideology, struggles with changing his cultural prejudices. The movie is so universally accepted because all people relate to changing times and changing cultures, and the gut wrenching emotion those [...]

Is Opinion different than reporting news - certainly.  The Fireside Post is all about opinion - and we clarify our bias in “Who Are These Guys.” In terms of ‘acting independently’ we are the champions.  We have no affiliations other than the United Methodist Church - and only one of us participates there.  What might [...]

We admire the determination of people who do not have debt. The Congress and Administration should be so wise. As a young parent we ventured into the world of credit cards.   The result was that our children lived in virtual poverty.  We had a good job and made good money - but the debt [...]

Bear with me - sometimes the answers to current problems have historical roots - and the answers to complex problems have already been worked out.  Over time people have tried varieties of government and economic systems.  Our Founding Fathers studied the history of government and molded the bold liberal experiment that we now call the [...]