Tomorrow, I’ll be posting a brief commentary—a 3 minute read—that I encourage everyone to review. It’s about adversity; it’s about courage; it’s about character. If it resonates with you or holds value, please consider sharing it. It will also be posted on X (formally Twitter): https://twitter.com/jimlichtman And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.lichtman.75/ Respectfully, Jim Lichtman    » Read more about: Friday’s Commentary  »...

On March 4, 1933, at his first inauguration, Franklin D. Roosevelt stood before the American people and addressed a nation in crisis. He understood that his task was not only economic recovery but the restoration of trust and unity. With words that reached beyond the immediate moment, he offered a powerful call against the biggest enemy facing the country: “The...

Twentieth-century journalist Walter Lippmann’s enduring appeal lies in his staunch commitment to the common good—the idea that society can function in a way that benefits everyone, not just individuals or specific groups. It’s a concept that is as essential today as it was when he first explored it nearly a century ago. Lippmann—whose insights on democracy, media, and morality helped...

Published in 1937, Walter Lippmann’s An Inquiry into the Principles of the Good Society feels especially relevant today, given the current state of politics. Lippmann was a standard-bearer of the hope for a better American society, and his insights on leadership and the moral compass that should guide public life are spot on. An astute observer of the political landscape,...

We live in a time of profound political divisions, more so than ever before. Fear, frustration, and anger dominate the national conversation from Trump rallies to pundit panels. Many of his supporters’ emotions come from real concerns about jobs, security, and social changes. These are significant issues deserving significant attention. In this moment of crisis, however, what concerns me most...

Fed by misinformation and half-truths, fear pushes us to distrust others, retreat into ourselves, see threats where there are none. Fear convinces us the world is more hostile than it truly is, seeing things through the lens of “Us vs. Them,” cutting us off from the compassion, understanding, and cooperation that can bring us together. Fear has always been present,...

In a public letter, 111 former top Republican officials have put aside party loyalty for the sake of national security and the future of our democracy. Republican Former National Security Leaders Statement of Support for Vice President Harris We are former national security and foreign policy officials who served in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George...

I first heard about John Gilbert Winant several years ago in Concord, New Hampshire, while I was teaching a class on ethics. My co-captain, Professor Stephen Ambra, spoke admiringly of the three-term Republican governor of the state. However, the most compelling part of Winant’s story unfolded during his time abroad, serving as the U.S. Ambassador to England. In 1941, Democrat...

In 63 BCE, Rome was facing an internal crisis that threatened to destroy the Republic. Roman senator Lucius Sergius Catilina, known as Catiline, was conspiring to overthrow the government. With the help of a coalition of the discontented, his plan included violent uprisings and the assassination of several leading senators and political figures, including Cicero, Rome’s famed philosopher and statesman....

A good friend and I have what we call our “Best Friends Thursday” lunches, where we catch up on the events of the day, primarily local matters. He recently said, “I enjoy your commentaries, but I wish you’d write about something other than Trump.” It’s a fair point, and I try to cover various issues. But this election is so...