Stories by Jim Picht

James Picht is the Senior Editor for Communities Politics. He teaches economics and Russian at the Louisiana Scholars' College in Natchitoches, La. After earning his doctorate in economics, he spent several years doing economic development work in Moscow and the new independent states of the former Soviet Union for the U.S. government, the Asian Development Bank, and as a private contractor. He has also worked in Latin America, the former USSR and the Balkans as an educator, teaching courses in economics and law at universities in Ukraine and at finance ministries throughout the region. He has been writing at the Communities since 2009.

White Fragility, Robin DiAngelo, Racists, Racism

White Fragility KafkaTrap: Ms. DiAngelo, are you too fragile to admit your racism?

If you deny that you're racist, you're a racist; if you don't agree, you're a racist. Welcome to the Kafka trap, where the accusation is the proof.

asian murder hornets, bees, hornets, edimology

Asian Murder Hornets: Only Murderous if You’re a Bee

Afraid of murder hornets? Fear makes us stupid; in a world of COVID-19, global warming, and Joe Biden, we're already stupid enough. Let's not be stupid about murder hornets.

The high cost vs. the value of life during the Covid-19 pandemic

When does the cost of saving a life tip toward the value of life? Its a question being asked in Italy. Once we open back up, Covid-19 will still be with us.

toilet paper, hoarder, coronavirus, COVID-19

Toilet paper hoarders reflecting a sad picture of American grit

In response to the CoronaVirus panic, American's have begun hoarding toilet paper. It was not so long ago that a catalog was how we wiped our hineys.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) nothing to fear, if you know the enemy

President Roosevelt said we have nothing to fear but fear itself. Be aware of CoronaVirus. Fear is a useless response; instead, understand it and prepare.

Arbitrage, Clorox, Price Gouging, Colvin, Tennessee

The Colvin Brothers, arbitrage lords of hand sanitizer and price gouging

The Colvin Brothers of Tennessee are not the only entrepreneurs seeking to profit from the CoronaVirus pandemic. But they are the most known.

Bernie and Biden, Democrats, Bernie Sanders, Sanders, Joe Biden, Biden

Democrats giddy with the success of Bernie and Biden

The Democrats are coalescing around Biden. They hope he can defeat Trump, but it’s imperative that he defeat Sanders. Warren bemoans the two old-white guys

Coronavirus: A pandemic of stupidity overtakes America

Coronavirus will come and go; stupidity will be here forever.

The New York Times and Justice Kavanaugh: News as real as margarine

The New York Times has lost all credibility. Now all the news that is fit to print is based on the writer's beliefs and hearsay. No longer do facts matter.

Putting a curse on Harry Potter: Priest bans book’s Latin spells from school

The curses and spells, or magic, in Harry Potter is real, says Reverend Dan Reehil. Expert exorcists agree: Latin spells attract demons like like honey draws flies.

Neil deGrasse Tyson: Fear is a poor response to El Paso or Dayton

We're driven more by fear than by reason, and fear responds more to spectacle than to cold, hard reality. But reality has to drive policy, not emotion.

Political Bias Grizzlies: How they affect college bound young conservatives

College is a great place to explore your options, learn who you want to be, and, if you're conservative, kick the tires of your beliefs.

Amash, Washington and the partisan two-party threat

Justin Amash is out of the GOP, blaming party politics and partisanship. But partisanship may be good for America, if you do it right.

Harris, Sanders, Biden, Williamson, Buttigieg

Democrat Debates: Kamala Harris, the herd’s newest alpha

Kamala Harris turned in a well-planned, beautifully executed performance in Miami, deeply cutting Joe Biden and positioning her to be the Democratic herd's new alpha.

Impeach President Trump? Nancy Pelosi’s cowardly equivocation

Removing a president is fundamentally a political process. Nancy Pelosi and House leaders want the courts to do the dirty work; they don't want to impeach President Trump.

Elizabeth Warren: Surprising champion of capitalism speaks out

Elizabeth Warren may be progressive, but she wants you to know that she loves capitalism. But can she be a progressive capitalist?

Chick-fil-A and the Pete Buttigieg defense against boycotts

Why boycott Chick-fil-A? Why not? Ask Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

Joe Biden: America’s creepy uncle, or victim of liberal hypocrisy?

Is Joe Biden a creepy, hands on old man, or is he a hapless victim? And if he's a victim, who are his victimizers?

Infanticide, Racism, Northam, Abortion, Paul H. Yarborough, Ralph Northam, Ralph Northam is confused, Jim Picht

Ralph Northam is confused, but what kind of man is he?

WASHINGTON: Virginia Governor Ralph Northam is “asking for the opportunity to earn your forgiveness.” The man he is today, he says, is not the man he was. Who he was isn’t clear. Northam is confused. In a statement yesterday, Northam says: “I am deeply sorry for the decision I made to appear as I did ...

Covington teens incite internet outrage, but is it justified? The facts say no (video)

MAGA-cap wearing students at Covington Catholic High School ran into Native Americans at the Washington March for Life, and outrage ensued.