In the winter of 1777, twelve thousand soldiers, along with four hundred women and children, huddled in 1,500 log huts, faced a defining moment of adversity at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Battling bitter cold, hunger, and a lack of supplies, the Continental Army’s morale was dwindling, and many were ready to abandon the fight for independence. George Washington, as commander-in-chief, understood...

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...

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...

… and former Republican Representative Liz Cheney—a Wisconsin native who represented Wyoming and served as the vice chair of the House committee that investigated the January 6th attack on the Capitol—laid out the facts of the case against President Donald Trump in his alleged criminal attempt to overturn the 2020 election. In Ripon, Wisconsin—a town known as the birthplace of...

In a 2016 poll entitled “What Voters Want in a President Today,” Pew Research reported that “more than a year before the first primaries, more voters valued a hypothetical candidate with ‘experience and a proven record’ (50%) than one who had ‘new ideas and a different approach’ (43%). Six months later, those numbers had flipped – 55% said it was...

The Presidential Greatness Project, led by Professors Brandon Rottinghaus and Justin Vaughn, is a research effort that evaluates U.S. presidents through the lens of expert scholars in the field of presidential politics. Every few years, these scholars weigh in on which presidents exemplify greatness based on their leadership, historical significance, and legacy. In 2024, not surprisingly, Abraham Lincoln still holds...

In America’s deeply polarized political landscape, we’ve become engulfed by lies, hateful rhetoric, and now, escalating violence. The most recent example is an assassination attempt on the former president. Stoked by fear, this toxic combination has infiltrated every aspect of our society—from public discourse to personal relationships—fostering a climate where truth feels optional and outrage thrives. When hateful rhetoric drives...

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...