SPIDER Blog

- by Robert Berning

Practicing Democracy

Political polarization has made too many pessimists in America. Let’s understand our country’s history is dotted with polarization but also understand what’s different today than it was at numerous previous times. Different today is that... Read More

So You Have a College Degree!

For many years if a person achieved a degree from an accredited college s/he was almost guaranteed a good, better than average paying job. Liberal arts generally refer to courses in natural sciences, social sciences,... Read More

The One Big, Beautiful Bill

The One, Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) barely passed the House recently, and it was sent to the Senate. The Senate in turn passed a version making some major changes to reduce spending. It’s categorized now... Read More

The Laffer Curve

You may have heard the proposition that cutting taxes will actually increase the revenue flowing to the government. The concept cited is known as the Laffer Curve.  Arthur Laffer concedes it’s an idea that was... Read More

The Paid College Athlete Era

So much for the student athlete. Used to be athletics was a way for wannabee students to earn scholarships. With the settlement of House v. NCAA, the concept of the student athlete has changed to... Read More

Oh, Oh. It’s Another Blackout!

You may have read about the recent (April 28) 23-hour blackout affecting Spain, Portugal and a chunk of southern France. When all was said and done, the reason it happened was the volatility of sunshine... Read More

The Loyal Opposition

Younger people in the US have seen – and perhaps learned – that in order for the government to make significant decisions and/or make major, relevant moves in any direction, one political party must hold... Read More

Ignorance of Modern-Day Tariffs

The recent actions surrounding tariffs as implemented President Trump, have sparked a whirlwind of rhetorical commentary from politicians and media pundits across the spectrum. Those remarks range from fervent praise to vehement criticism. However, a... Read More

Your Tax Dollars at Work (or Not)

The list of dubious spending, and reducing same, as brought to the light of day by Elon Musk and his Department of Governmental Efficiency – DOGE – is lengthy. That’s just after a couple of... Read More

Climate Change in 2025

The global warming ‘wolf’ cry. The metaphor of the global warming ‘wolf’ seems fitting. Only Allah knows the number of times it’s been cried out. This ‘wolf’ represents the looming threat of climate catastrophe, a... Read More