Regardless your position on the United States’ decision to pull out of the Paris agreement to combat climate change, How the GOP Came to View Climate Changes as Fake, in today’s New York Times, is an insightful look at the increasing influence of moneyed interests on American public policy and politics. Even Republicans who accept that climate change is real and believe we must act to stop it are largely afraid to speak up on the issue. Interestingly, among its other insights, this article tells us of a handful of GOP lawmakers who are hoping to buck that trend.

While Trump’s decision on the Paris accord fulfills a campaign promise, that doesn’t necessarily signal a trend. When his infrastructure plan comes out—it’s expected this coming week, although not with all the details in place—it won’t include nearly all the funding he talked about during the campaign. Cities, states and private businesses would have to pitch in to make up the difference: Details form the New York Times in Trump Plans to Shift Infrastructure Funding to Cities, States, Businesses.

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The Church of the Informed Citizen—i.e., my house—held services today on the back deck in beautiful, sunny, spring-like Memorial Day weekend weather. Now, as the potatoes boil in preparation for the traditional potato salad of summer—and before I clean my house—here are a few recommended readings.

Two themes emerged for me today. One, inevitably, is the continuing expansion of the investigation into contacts and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. The other is children and how our governments serve or fail to serve them. Continue reading →