Alan Markow

Professional writer and communicator 40+ years. Senior corporate communications exec in high tech, telecom, banking, and chemicals. Navy journalist during Vietnam era. IVN blogger since inception. Political views range from liberal to libertarian.

Barriers remain too high for Independents

Is there anyone less popular today than a sitting politician? Well, yes. Someone else’s politician. Today’s generalized numbers about Congress, the President, Democrats and Republicans go out the

By Alan Markow

September 19, 2011

Safer transport of oil will protect Santa Barbara coastline

For most environmental organizations, news of an oil pipeline approved in their backyard would be tantamount to war. But not for the Environmental Defense Center (EDC) of Santa Barbara, which

By Alan Markow

September 15, 2011

Perry suffers a senior moment

I was thrilled to learn some years ago that my trusted financial planner had not put any of my precious savings into a Bernie Madoff-managed fund. As a retiree

By Alan Markow

September 12, 2011

The Chandler classroom conundrum

It’s hard to tell whether Chandler, Arizona’s popular technology-driven classroom program is the wave-of-the-future, an expensive failure or something in between. According to the

By Alan Markow

September 8, 2011

Rick Perry: Stand by your stands

The Republican presidential candidate who has made himself look more like Billy Graham than Barry Goldwater has taken a substantive lead in the polls as reported in recent days by

By Alan Markow

September 1, 2011

Ron Paul on FEMA: Just Say No

Ron Paul is a remarkable politician; indeed, a remarkable man. But for another age. His recent argument that America does not need FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) is totally

By Alan Markow

August 29, 2011

Huntsman challenges GOP to start making sense to Independents

Whatever position Jon Huntsman achieves for himself in the race for Republican Presidential nominee, he may have successfully opened the door to real competition against his old boss. By declaring

By Alan Markow

August 25, 2011

Help for The Help

Let me say at the outset that I have not yet watched the movie version of The Help – the box office hit about black domestics in the deep south and

By Alan Markow

August 22, 2011

Independent thinking more than casting a hopeless third party vote

So you've determined that you're really an Independent who no longer wants to be caught up in the partisan rancor that has become the hallmark of

By Alan Markow

August 22, 2011

Oracle of Omaha takes one for the home team

Unelected partisans came face-to-face with a genuine independent voice this week in the form of American icon, Warren Buffett. In Monday’s New York Times, Buffett – CEO of

By Alan Markow

August 18, 2011

Maricopa recall signal a change in Arizona politics

There’s a new level of political theater that’s premiered in America, and it’s not primary season – it’s recall season. While the national focus has been on

By Alan Markow

August 15, 2011

Ready for their Close-Ups

Terry Gilliam’s cult film classic "Brazil" may again be proving itself ahead of its time. In a Monday morning article, the New York Times reported that seniors

By Alan Markow

August 11, 2011