Politics

PARIS, FRANCE - JUN 22, 2017: New Boeing 737-9 MAX airliner at the Paris Air Show 2017.

The Boeing Accountants Overseeing 737 Max Safety

Boeing’s grounded 737 MAX, which experienced two crashes and claimed 346 lives, was a cost saving move to tweak an existing airplane design rather than develop a new plane from scratch. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that nearly half of the Boeing directors who approved the initiative have ties to private equity. One of them is David Calhoun, who took over as Boeing’s CEO on Monday.

The flying public can take great comfort knowing that Calhoun is an accountant by training, as are two of the three Boeing directors who comprise the board’s aerospace safety committee. What more could possibly go wrong?

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Empty vintage court's room with table,chairs and microphones.

The Electoral College of Bandy X Lee

Yale faculty psychiatrist Bandy X Lee wants medical health professionals to have the final say on who’s fit to serve as president, preferably before candidates can run for office. Had the Constitution’s framers allowed for such a panel, Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy would have been deemed mentally unfit, as would Pete Buttgieg prior to December 1973. Nazi Germany provided a lesson as to what can happen when psychiatrists are allowed inordinate influence on the political process.

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CALGARY, CANADA - JULY 18: Air Canada commercial planes on the tarmac of Calgary International Airport July 18, 2014. Opened in 1938, the airport offers non-stop flights to major cities in North America, Europe and East Asia.

Why Canadians Suffer Horrific Air Canada

My commentary in support and solidarity with the countless Air Canada passengers in 222 cities on six continents who found themselves in travel hell these past few weeks. Maybe it’s time Canadians rebelled against corporate monopolies that exploit their tolerance and good nature.

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21974966 - isolated on the back of business woman with aknife

The Loyalties of Kellyanne Conway?

If you can judge a person by the company they keep, it speaks volumes that President Trump surrounds himself with people who want to undermine or destroy him. From the moment Trump stepped foot in the White House, there has been a continuous stream of media leaks from anonymous aides…

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Business hero, leader in superhero cloak on top of skyscraper in city center. Vector businessman with red briefcase, superhuman big boss, commercial director

Dennis Muilenburg and Boeing’s Unsung Heroes

Congressional hearings of CEOs under fire make for great television, but that’s pretty much all they are good for. My favorite inquisitor is California’s Katie Porter, whose takedown of Equifax CEO Mark Begor was such a delight I’ve watched it multiple times. Begor is still Equifax’s CEO. This week it…

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HONG KONG - June 9, 2019: Hong Kong June 9 protect with million of people on the street.

Mark Kern: A Moral Leader in an ‘Immoral’ Industry

I’m often accused of being too black and white in my thinking. My skepticism about ESG, a popular form of socially responsible investing, is a case in point. I applaud those who wish to apply moral considerations when investing in public entities, but companies comprising the biggest holdings of Vanguard’s…

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A Bumper Crop Week for Liberal Hypocrisy

I tried, dear reader, I honestly tried. I’ve been working mightily to channel my inner Dale Carnegie these past few weeks trying to affirm what’s good, avoiding criticizing others, and acting with kindness. But less than a month away from the Jewish Day of Atonement, God decided to test me…

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Fiery morning sunrise from between forest trees.

Democracy Dies in Blazing Sunshine

Back in 1965, an unknown young attorney named Ralph Nader published a bestselling book called “Unsafe at Any Speed,” accusing American automakers of being resistant to safety features like seat belts and questioning the design of a GM car called the Corvair. In those days, allegations that American companies would…

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Washington, DC at the White House

Donald Trump’s “Treasonous” Aides

Here’s some PR counsel you can take to the bank: There is no such thing as an “off-the-record” conversation with a reporter. In fact, often the best way to get a story out is to incessantly repeat the information you are providing is hush-hush and on the QT. Here’s how…

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39342006 - bedbugs

Bret Stephens and the Toxicity of Twitter

George Washington University associate professor David Karpf hopefully enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame. Karpf’s tweet on Tuesday likening New York Times columnist Bret Stephens to a “bedbug” garnered the prof national media attention and ultimately drove Stephens off the social media site. Donald Trump piled on, demonstrating once again…

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