Based on the emails he receives, Butch’s commentaries are read by people across the U.S., Europe, and even as far as Shanghai, China. He aims to share ideas and opinions that encourage readers to see things from a slightly different perspective.
Highlights from his observations
On relationships
“In many cases, the best ‘present’ a man can give to a woman is just to ‘be present.’ And ‘being present’ doesn’t mean being there physically—it means being emotionally present.”
On the history of marriage
“In the 14th and 15th centuries, people married in June because they took their yearly bath in May; however, they were starting to smell just a tad, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor.”
On customer service
“When it comes to customer satisfaction, there are two maxims: First, the customer defines quality, and second, quality, service, price—the customer wants at least two.”
On what schools don’t teach our kids—but should
- Positive attitude
- Belief in one’s individual importance
- Making wise choices
- Positive habit building
- Creative thinking
- Persistence
On geopolitics
“The World Court does not have a clear mission, it is not underpinned by any particular body of law (as the U.S. Criminal Justice System is), and three fourths of the nations endorsing the court do not subscribe to trial by jury—so just how prudent would it be for the U.S. to become a member?”
Visit the archives at www.vaildaily.com to see more commentaries.
Columnist | Writer | Author
Butch’s writing career began with a screenplay, later adapted into a cheeky “singles” book: From the First Date to the Bedroom: The Single Man’s Official Guide to Success With Women.
Background
- Born and raised in Chicago, IL
- Graduated from the University of Dayton and the University of Michigan School of Advanced Business Methods
- Commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps
- Carrier-qualified Naval Aviator, including a tour in Vietnam with over 400 combat missions
- Twice recipient of the “Outstanding Young Men of America” award
- Area President of a regional office of an international insurance brokerage firm
- Chaired numerous professional boards; actively fundraised for The American Heart Association, The Children’s Hospital Foundation, and appeared on local Denver TV for Muscular Dystrophy fundraising
- Insurance consultant to businesses in Chicago, Denver, and the Bay Area
- Winner of the 2019 Colorado Press Association Award for ‘Best Serious Column Writing’
Recent Commentaries
Headlines before Facts
People believe what they want to believe—especially regarding politics because political views become tied to tribe, self-image, and emotion; so, accepting contradictory evidence feels like a threat. To avoid that discomfort, we gravitate toward information that...
In Wine There’s Truth
On November 6th, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, struck down an Ohio school district’s pronoun policy in a win for free speech and student rights. The court ‘sitting en banc’ ruled 10-7 that “the mere use of biological pronouns does not entail ‘aggressive,...
Warped Compassion
Conservative political commentator, Judd Garrett, clearly illustrated the fallacy of “restorative justice” in a commentary underpinned by the recent series of egregious crimes that made national headlines. Chicago: 26-year-old Bethany McGee was riding a CTA train when...
The Inflation Fantasy
The big issue on voters’ minds these days is “affordability.” And suddenly that’s all anyone wants to talk about, including Donald Trump and Zoran Mandani last week in the Oval Office. But here’s an inconvenient truth: once prices rise, they rarely fall back to...
Our Most Important Right
Most constitutional scholars, jurists, and historians regard freedom of speech as the cornerstone of the American system of governance. Constitutional scholar, Jonathan Turley opines, “we should all find the collapse of free speech protections in Europe, as the Left...
A Brotherhood Untouched by Time
Today we celebrate the 250th anniversary of founding of the United States Marine Corps – aka – the ‘Marine Corps Birthday’ that will be celebrated by both active-duty and former Marines the world over. I’m not going to write about the Corps’ glorious history of...
They Don’t Get It – Yet!
Vis-à-vis yesterday’s election results, it’s only a matter of time before the citizens of America’s largest city experience the folly of their collective decision to elect Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s next mayor. Allow me to explain. Every ideology—communism,...
Let’s be Adults When We Talk Politics!
There’s a long-standing social rule that says we shouldn’t discuss religion or politics in polite company. On the surface that sounds reasonable because both subjects carry a ‘charge’ and stir strong emotions. But does it really have to be this way? I get it...
Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!
With Halloween just a few days away, and just for fun, I thought I’d reprise a commentary I wrote for the Vail Daily Newspaper on Halloween, 2002. Folklore tells us that witches and witchcraft permeated life in the western world since ancient Rome. Why then is there...
Hitting the Boat!
When a crisis emerges anywhere on earth, it’s no accident that every president since Franklin D. Roosevelt has asked the same first question: “Where are the carriers?” Modern nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, such as those in the Nimitz or Ford class, are over 1,090...