Charles Laffiteau

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 02:48 | 17.09.09 | © Metro Éireann

As many of you are aware, I am a lifelong member of the US Republican Party. I joined the party while I was still in high school – before I was even allowed to legally vote. And through the years I have raised money for and campaigned on behalf of numerous

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 15:59 | 10.09.09 | © Metro Éireann

Whereas John and Robert Kennedy possessed formidable oratorical skills and relished political campaigning like their maternal grandfather, Honey Fitz, Ted Kennedy was more like his other grandfather PJ. Ted also had excellent oratorical skills, but he was much

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 13:35 | 03.09.09 | © Metro Éireann

I had originally planned to write about something else this week, but I was stopped in my tracks when I heard news of the death of an American political icon, Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy. As I write this, the ‘Last Lion in the Senate’ is being

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 13:00 | 27.08.09 | © Metro Éireann

While I know some sceptics still remain out there, the world is already beginning to suffer the ill effects of climate change due to rising global temperatures. The only real question is how long we as consumers, as well as our political leaders, will wait before

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 01:52 | 13.08.09 | © Metro Éireann

Even though I still plan to attend the UN Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December, I don’t really expect any effective agreement to cut carbon emissions to result from it. And even without the current recession, the situation would

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 17:32 | 06.08.09 | © Metro Éireann

In previous weeks I’ve discussed some of the reasons why we must take more individual responsibility in addressing climate change. But I am also painfully aware that there is only so much that we can do as individuals. Much more must be done by the world’s

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 13:04 | 30.07.09 | © Metro Éireann

Turning out the lights, lowering the thermostat and buying more energy efficient appliances represent only minor tweaks to our daily living to reduce our carbon emissions. But parking our cars at home and taking public transport to work or school embodies a

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 12:50 | 23.07.09 | © Metro Éireann

I could be wrong, but thus far evidence suggests that precious few of us are willing to change our lifestyles in an effort to undo the environmental damage we are causing. The response from most people to the idea of adding carbon taxes to the cost of the petrol,

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 17:54 | 16.07.09 | © Metro Éireann

Many of us can – and do – blame our political leaders for failing to take more concrete steps to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels for energy. But before you do, stop for a moment to ask yourself: how active have you been in supporting politicians

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 12:09 | 09.07.09 | © Metro Éireann

I believe that inherent in all of us, there is a basic sense of right and wrong. Granted, there may be a few exceptions, such as sociopaths and psychopaths who are seemingly devoid of any sense of guilt for their actions, but for the most part we know

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 15:51 | 02.07.09 | © Metro Éireann

Moral absolutism is a belief that certain actions are absolutely right or wrong, regardless of their context or the circumstances surrounding them. Adherents of this belief, by and large, are people who truly feel that there are certain principles which should

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 16:15 | 25.06.09 | © Metro Éireann

While I concluded last week by saying that erasing huge budget deficits will become the biggest political issue of the coming decade in the US and Europe, that doesn’t mean I believe this will be the biggest issue for the whole world – that, I believe,

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last update: 13:01 | 18.06.09 | © Metro Éireann

Based on most news reports, people want to pin the blame for the global recession either on greedy US bankers, risky sub-prime mortgage lending practices, a lack of government regulations, or some combination of the three. But I view these as mere symptoms rather

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Last week I predicted that a new Democratic majority would probably be in power for at least a generation. Since then, a large survey of more than 7,000 American voters by Gallup was released which both amplifies and lends additional support to that argument.

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Although President Obama fumbled the hand-off of his economic stimulus package to House Democrats, the Republican leaders in Congress were unable to score any points and the President eventually succeeded in pushing his deal over the goal line. But I also suspect

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

Since President Obama has reached the 100-day mark since assuming office, I guess it’s time for me to give our new commander-in-chief his first report card.

Charles Laffiteau's Bigger Picture

This week I want to try something different, taking the focus off US politics for a while and turning my sights towards a bigger picture, taking in America and Europe and the three ‘I’s – Immigration, Integration and Impregnation. Each

Charles Laffiteau's Republican politics, American style

Previously I suggested that the US and other governments take possession of their banks’ ‘toxic assets’ so that they could raise fresh capital in order to start lending again. To reduce the cost to taxpayers I also suggested that those governments

First Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next Last