Author Archives: goldenmeanstra

Sometimes long shots come in. But not unless you shoot. Gregory Watson decided to take his long shot more than thirty years ago. He was just a college student in 1982. Was he interested in politics? Yes. Did he have any inkling that he was going to have the kind of impact once reserved for the likes of Jefferson and Madison? Not in a million years. But it only took a decade. Watson was a sophomore majoring in econ

  He may win the nomination. It is at least conceivable that he could win the White House. But whether this does or doesn’t happen, let’s be clear about one thing: the “fed-up” folks who believe Donald Trump is the alternative to the system are overlooking the system itself. American democracy. We’ve heard all kinds of reasons for why Trump’s wave of supporters has come into existence

Fifteen years ago, I was asked to manage my first major political campaign, for a U.S. Senate candidate from Illinois who was personable and had a gleaming biography, as well the ability to raise plenty of money. Gery Chico had served as chief of staff to the mayor of Chicago, and both President Bill Clinton and the Chicago Tribune had credited him with leading a dramatic turnaround of Chicago’s public schools. Tho

Although I am the prototypical super-nerd who habitually watches wall-to-wall coverage of the State of the Union address, I must confess that I recorded it on Tuesday night. Perhaps this only increases my nerd status. But as I was driving home — at the same time President Obama was concluding his speech — a barrage of messages and social media posts lit up my mobile: “POTUS must have read your book!” “So mu

The chicken or the egg? Trump’s lead in the polls or the media’s sycophantic coverage of Trump? The media’s hyperactive coverage of the circus, or the circus’s irresistibly magnetic power over the media? Which comes first? Which feeds which? And does it matter? The answer, of course, will depend on whom you ask. But once in a while, we get a rare moment of clarity. And when it comes from a veteran journa

In a series of interview segments, Unlock Congress author Michael Golden explains the "D.C. 4-3" - a construct he uses in the book to describe FOUR defects that cause THREE negative effects on congressional performance

By OMD Staff   "KNOWING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PLAY EVEN A SMALL ROLE IN THE SCHOLAR'S SUCCESS IS THE KIND OF REWARD THAT IS DIFFICULT TO DESCRIBE... NO MATTER WHAT ELSE I'M ABLE TO DO IN LIFE, I DOUBT THAT ANYTHING WILL DELIVER THE SAME KIND OF SATISFACTION THAT OMD HAS PROVIDED."   Micha

John W. Fountain walks the walk. The successful author, University of Illinois professor and former New York Times correspondent who grew up in Chicago is also a Wilbur Wright Community College graduate. So earlier this month, when Fountain told a group of community college students that, "The hope I found was at the City Colleges of Chicago," his words carried the power of living proof. In 1901, America's v