Economic strength comes from a functional democracy. But when that democracy fails to act in the best interests of the people, we can expect chaos. Look at Western Europe — Greece, Spain, Portugal and Italy. more

This column is about the dreaded “T” word. Not Trump. Not tea, as in Tea Party, but taxes. It’s a word that politicians utter only when they pledge not to raise them. In today’s political climate, no politician can win re-election if he or she dares to support a tax increase. more

It’s been a rough few weeks for President Obama. Over Labor Day, the president attended a union rally in Detroit and was introduced by Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa Jr. During the … more

I wonder whether the congressmen that actually have a strong opposition concerning the national debt, and against raising the debt ceiling, know what happened 20, 40 and, better, 80 years ago. more

On Aug. 1, the president signed and Congress passed a half-baked bill raising the debt ceiling, Nassau County residents voted 57 to 43 percent against a taxpayer-funded initiative to rebuild Nassau Coliseum, and I celebrated my 74th birthday. more

To the Editor: If we want to solve the economic crisis and end the Federal Reserve Bank, it must undergo a thorough audit — something that Congress has the authority to prescribe. The Federal Reserve Bank was created in December 1913, and passed by the U.S. Congress, which then led to the Federal Reserve Act being signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson, who after three years, said, “I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated governments in the civilized world, no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men.” more

When confronted with the now-infamous crotch photo, Congressman Anthony Wiener said that he could not declare with “certitude” that it was his crotch that was tweeted. Of course, we all now know now that Weiner knew with “certitude” that it was in fact him and that he had taken the picture. more

I know many of you are lost without your Sunday NFL fix. Well, for nostalgia, here’s a little football analogy. President Obama has managed to punt yet another serious issue to Congress. more

There are times when I wish it was 2012. Not because I’m wishing my life away but because I’d love to see how today’s crop of politicians worked their way out of the worst financial crises in federal, state and local history. more

Long Islanders should be proud that as a result of the Republican victories in November, U.S. Rep. Peter King returned as chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. We should also sleep … more