Lanny Newville
Bio
Retired public sector professional with 30+ years in law enforcement and community corrections. Keenly interested contributor in areas of governance, public policy, and the intersection of technology and justice. Seeks truth. Exposes lies.
Stories (10)
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Burning Tomorrow to Fund Today
The larger debate over the House-passed HB1 budget has moved to the Senate where another opposing front is complicating the already contentious discussion. While Democratic opposition has remained steady, new resistance is emerging from Republicans over proposed cuts impacting programs designed to assist lower income and seniors that will have a dramatic impact on the constituents of some red state legislators.
By Lanny Newville7 months ago in The Swamp
Send a Texas Ranger and Call It a Day
The above was posted to the official Face Book account of J. Kenneth Blackwell who is a longtime conservative political figure, former Ohio Secretary of State, and self-described Christian nationalist. He served as co-chair of George W. Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign and has remained an outspoken voice in right-wing media. A frequent critic of immigration policy and progressive social movements, Blackwell gained my attention for a post framing Los Angeles protesters as criminal "invaders." This article is a direct response.
By Lanny Newville7 months ago in The Swamp
The Silent Superweapon
Editorial Note: This satirical essay is a speculative exploration of administrative overreach, government efficiency rhetoric, and the unintended consequences of digitized control. Inspired by the spirit of The Twilight Zone, it invites readers to imagine a world where a new bureaucracy becomes the engine of dystopia. It is not a declaration of fact, but a provocative thought experiment. License is taken to use the real life Department of Government Efficiency name as it is current in the public ethos.
By Lanny Newville8 months ago in The Swamp
This Is Not Normal. Stop Pretending It Is
Editorial note: I protest. I do. Our current political climate is distasteful, driven by hatred and division, and such a departure from when America was Truly Great. Donald Trump is a symptom, not the disease, but unfortunately for him, he is its chosen figurehead of the far right Christian Nationalist MAGA movement. So if you've read any of my other contributions, the theme is recurrent and most often aimed at rebutting misinformation flung rampantly on social media through memes, mindless repetition of extreme rhetoric, and yes, I'll call some of it outright lies. Oh how I wish for a vaccine. The disease is endemic. Unfortunately, funding for that seems to have dried up.
By Lanny Newville8 months ago in The Swamp
When You Cherry-Pick Facts and Poll Numbers…
It is being reported by Newsweek that Donald Trump is experiencing a popularity surge based on the results of a single poll (Quantas Insights). Making hay from those results may put you on less solid footing than you think.
By Lanny Newville8 months ago in The Swamp
Comparative Analysis: Which Party Caused Greater Harm?. AI-Generated.
✍️I have been working on this for some time because I keep hearing from Trump supporters how the Democrats have destroyed/ruined the country. In my recollection, all 6+ decades of it, I have not come up with anything to support the assertion, so I spent a few days chatting with three readily available AI engines, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot. I was unsure how to define ruined, so I tossed in factors related to loss of life and economic impact.
By Lanny Newville8 months ago in The Swamp
I Asked AI for a Political Solution—It Gave Me This. AI-Generated.
LN: After digging into the growing wave of voter disaffection (And my own) with both major political parties, I began outlining an article on the subject. On a whim, I asked ChatGPT to analyze the data I had collected and propose a possible solution. As someone who sits squarely in the political middle, I’ve long hoped for an alternative—one that avoids the dominance of the two major parties, sidesteps the noise of extremist fringes, and offers more promise than the fractured efforts of independents and libertarians. What it generated surprised me—not just because it made sense, but because it read like the start of something real. Something possible, but that cries out for younger vigorous voices to move it into the public view and breathe life into it. Only a few of the words below are mine. I could not help myself.
By Lanny Newville8 months ago in The Swamp
Can America Bring Jobs Back?
Can America Bring Jobs Back? The Truth About Policies, Politics, and People For decades, the United States has seen its manufacturing base shrink. Once the backbone of the American middle class, industries like steel, automobiles, textiles, and electronics have either downsized or moved operations abroad. In response, both Republicans and Democrats now say they want to “reshore” jobs — bring them back to the U.S.
By Lanny Newville8 months ago in The Swamp
Can We Make Americans Lives Better
Can We Make American Lives Better When it comes to improving the lives of Americans, Republicans and Democrats have vastly different approaches with their own strengths and weaknesses. Republicans tend to push for tax cuts and fewer government rules. They emphasize goals of helping businesses grow and creating jobs. Some tax cuts, especially those aimed at working families, have shown clear benefits. But tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy rarely lead to higher wages or more jobs for most people. Studies show those cuts often result in stock buybacks or bigger bonuses for executives, and infrequently "trickles down" to improve the lives of low- and middle-income earners.
By Lanny Newville8 months ago in The Swamp
