Ott Observations
The only real guardrails | Ott Observations
Throughout the first Trump presidency and after, there was constant media banter about the “guardrails of democracy.” Trump’s use of executive power was unprecedented in our history and raised many…
Read MoreDownsizing or dismantling | Ott Observations
I think you would be hard-pressed to find an American who doesn’t think our federal government is too big and inefficient. Accordingly, there should be 100 percent consensus supporting what…
Read MoreDEI thoughts | Ott Observations
Stewart was one of the last surviving combat pilots of the famed fighter group known as the Tuskegee Airmen. They were the nation’s first Black military pilots. Their “Tuskegee” name…
Read MoreThinking it through | Ott Observations
I once worked for an automotive industry supplier. We made the metal tongue that snaps into your seat belt buckle. We were a second tier supplier, selling the tongues to…
Read MoreA nobility competition | Ott Observations
This past Jan. 20 was an unusually noteworthy day for all Americans. It was the day we inaugurated a new president, once again transferring power peacefully in a rite of…
Read MoreMoral compass | Ott Observations
I watched President Jimmy Carter’s funeral at the National Cathedral. It made an impression on me, generating a lot of thoughts and reflections. The first stunning impression was that President…
Read MoreReal efficiency | Ott Observations
While I have my doubts about the incoming administration’s true intents and their ability to effectively implement policies, I believe every incoming President and legislative majority deserves the chance to…
Read MoreTidy little compartments | Ott Observations
Human beings have an amazing capacity to keep different aspects of their lives in tidy little compartments, often trying to ignore the contradictions between these compartments. Neatly defining each…
Read MoreLook in the mirror | Ott Observations
The election is over, the winners are gleeful and the losers are in despair. Media pundits and Democratic party officials are trying to dissect the results and understand the…
Read MoreWe failed the character test | Ott Observations
As I watched the election returns and realized Donald Trump will be our next president, I found myself thinking about our Founding Fathers. I imagined them traveling forward in time…
Read MoreChoosing humanity | Ott Observations
Earlier this fall, I was touring the Alps in central Europe. There were countless beautiful churches. On the side wall of one of the churches there was this saying: “We…
Read MoreReal issues | Ott Observations
When you ask people about the issues on which they decide their vote, you get a whole range of answers. Some don’t appear to sort issues by importance or priority.…
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