Politics

The Limits of Presidential Power

Category: 

In my operational risk seminar this spring, students ranked and then restacked and ranked the top operational risks present in our world.  No one was especially pleased with the results, and the top three risks – cyber-threats, global uncertainty, and terrorism – seemed nearly interchangeable, depending upon the month. As we came to the end of the quarter – particularly with the terrorism acts in Manchester, London, and Tehran -- “global uncertainty” seemed to encapsulate the other two risks, particularly when the elections in France and Great Britain are taken into account along with the performance of the U.S. president on his first diplomatic trip abroad. 

read more..

Latest Posts in Politics

Conduct Risk Presented Daily on the National Stage

In a new volume, Conduct Risk: A Practitioner’s Guide, published by Risk Books of London, I argue that there are three root causes of conduct risk: tone, culture and conflicts of interest.  In the rollup to the inauguration of a new president, all three types of risk are playing out daily. Our relationships with other countries as well as a kind of seige...


How big will it grow?

Remember Pinocchio? The Disney story was based on the children's novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. The little wooden boy is brought to life by the blue fairy. Pinocchio can only be made human if he is unselfish, brave and, above all, truthful. Every time President Trump lies, we’ve been saddled with the tremendous spectacle of having to watch it grow bigger, and, sadly, it is not Pinocchio’s nose. This thing that is growing bigger is something else and it is getting really, really big.


Freedom Train

I’m looking for a ride to take me where I need to go. I’m looking for the freedom train. I know it’s there. I’ve seen it before. I’m going to find it again. I’m going to take that ride. I’m going to get where I need to go.

Deep down inside I know the truth about America and so do you. Democracy is fundamentally stewardship in action. Being a good steward means that we take care of things. Money, cars, houses, jobs, careers, land...


Weed is not Green Energy

From Seattle

Weed is not Green Energy

Using marijuana for fun and relaxation or to aid healing for a medical condition is an issue as private as the decision to drink alcohol. It’s nobody’s business but your own. Marijuana use only gets fraught with complication when someone under the influence drives a car, operates heavy machinery or engages in every day activity that requires good...


How Much Authority Is Enough?

The issue of civil rights has gotten a lot of play of late in the media. Police behaving like thugs, the TSA practicing "risk-based security," the right of the LGBT community to marry, the NSA listening in – all of these issues raise legitimate concerns about our relationship with authority.

                  It has always been a push-pull with us; there are always “bad guys” looking for an unfair advantage. On the other hand, we...