Tim Constantine
Columns by Tim Constantine
Lack of civility at State of the Union suggests a surprise is coming for both parties
The lack of civility in our two-party system was on full display at the State of the Union speech this week, and while it may be gaining steam, it is nothing new. Published February 26, 2026
Backroom politics resembles pro wrestling, even in the Middle East
When I was a young man, I would tell my father that politics was a lot like professional wrestling, except the key difference was that a lot of the wrestlers were actually likable. Published February 20, 2026
While America and Iran boil over, Oman is the voice of reason
Since 1979, America's most consistent foe has been Iran. Since the fall of the shah, when American hostages were taken and held for 444 days, there has been no love lost between the two nations. Published January 15, 2026
Trump cures cancer: Democrats and media upset
I have long said that if President Trump cured cancer, CNN would run a story complaining that he put doctors out of work. Published January 6, 2026
Don’t be fooled — no one in D.C. is trying to solve health-care costs
Is the government really trying to solve a problem or simply trying to placate the public until the next popularity poll comes out? Published December 18, 2025
What if the government became the Mafia? It already has
In America in recent years, we've seen certain elements of the government used much the way the Mob exercises its authority. Published November 4, 2025
What is the government’s role in fighting crime? Don’t ask France
France makes an interesting contrast with Donald Trump's American crackdown on crime. As French President Emmanuel Macron reshuffles his government for the second time in six months, the French state appears paralyzed in the face of a surge in violent, international crime and doesn't seem to have any plan to deal with it. Published October 17, 2025
The real reason Jeffrey Epstein is back in the news
Jeffrey Epstein is back in the news. Published October 14, 2025
Good news from the Middle East: Iraq-Turkey pipeline reopens, with U.S. help
As the world gathered for the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, many of the news reports focused on hopes to end the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. While the ravages of war clearly warrant attention, it is important that good news from around the globe not be lost in the shuffle. Published September 26, 2025
Squelching political dissent is slippery slope
Much has been said, written and experienced in Washington about the current partisan divide in the country and how angry so many people are. Published August 8, 2025
Cooperation in the Middle East boosted as Iraq hosts 34th Arab League Summit
I attended the Arab League Summit in Baghdad, Iraq, this past week. Baghdad took tremendous pride in serving as host. It has been a remarkable turnaround for Iraq. The country was war-torn and tattered, suffering from corruption and a variety of unique challenges for more than 20 years. Published May 22, 2025
WATCH: Is democracy dead in Romania?
You may recall that after Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, there was an investigation, lasting nearly two years and costing more than $30 million, into claims of Russian collusion with Mr. Trump during the election. Published March 17, 2025
20 years later: What does Iraq think of the United States?
Nearly 20 years since Iraq created a new Constitution assuring that people of all religions and ethnicities would be represented in their national government and treated equally, how is this important Middle East state faring? How is America perceived? During a recent trip to Baghdad, I sat down with President Abdul Latif Rashid to discuss the current state of his country and its current relationship with the United States. Published March 10, 2025
Childish hissy fit: Why some federal workers can’t describe their own job to DOGE
Federal workers across the U.S. government received an email Saturday, instructing them to report their work accomplishments from the previous week in about five bullet points. Published February 26, 2025
Like Trump, Polish conservatives fighting a stacked deck in election battle
When Donald Trump announced he would seek the U.S. presidency yet again in 2024, he faced what seemed like insurmountable odds. Published February 13, 2025
Racism played role in Harris’ loss, but not in that way
The Democrats chose Kamala Harris as their 2024 presidential nominee. But nothing about the nomination process was normal or regular. Published December 20, 2024
Qatar’s Education City: An opportunity for students and for the world
It is finals week at most colleges and universities around the United States. It's a week where all of the hard work and effort students have put in for the past 15 weeks either pays off or collapses. It's high pressure. If you've done your homework and have your facts straight, it will likely go well. For most, it's very rewarding, another step on the way to a college degree in the discipline of their choice. Published December 12, 2024
Being the best by beating the best — a path neither Harris nor Trump are taking
Some of life's greatest wisdom comes from sports cliches. Among the greatest nuggets is the notion that to be the best you have to beat the best. We hear coaches say it. We hear players say it. In boxing the all-time greats are often considered such because of whom they fought. Published October 10, 2024
The debate. Don’t ask who won, ask who failed
The first and quite possibly only debate of the 2024 presidential election season between former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris is in the books. At the conclusion of every presidential debate, the one question that everyone asks and the two campaigns try to control the answer to, is, "Who won the debate?" Published September 11, 2024
I told you so: Biden will not be the 2024 Democrat Party nominee
For well over a year, I have been saying President Biden will not be the 2024 nominee of the Democrat Party. Published June 28, 2024
