Recent Ethics Commentaries

Featured image for “The Frog and The Boiling Point of Democracy”
The Frog and The Boiling Point of Democracy
It begins subtly. A shrug at a cruel remark. A laugh at behavior once considered beneath the dignity of the office. A dismissal of a fact, a bending of the truth. “It’s just rhetoric,” they say. “He’s just being himself.” Norms don’t break overnight. They erode—quietly, steadily—until what was once outrageous becomes routine. But the temperature keeps rising. In April,...
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June 19, 2025
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The Right Stuff, The Right Way
“If there is one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that a man’s judgment is no better than his information.”—John Glenn In an age when celebrity often eclipses substance, John Glenn never needed a spotlight to define his worth. He had already flown faster than sound, orbited the Earth, and stared into the black unknown. But his real legacy...
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June 16, 2025
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It Can Happen Here
When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.—Derived from “It Can’t Happen Here” by Sinclair Lewis This is the most prescient book I have ever read.  In 1935, Sinclair Lewis published a novel with a title that felt more like comfort than warning: It Can’t Happen Here. But the real message behind...
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June 13, 2025
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In Union There is Strength
Former Defense Secretary and retired Marine Corps General James Mattis has something to say. I have watched this week’s unfolding events, angry and appalled. The words “Equal Justice Under Law” are carved in the pediment of the United States Supreme Court. This is precisely what protesters are rightly demanding. It is a wholesome and unifying demand—one that all of us...
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June 11, 2025
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Four More Presidents Who Took an Ethical Stand
  What separates a good leader from a great one isn’t intelligence, charm, or even experience. It’s character—specifically, the willingness to do the right thing when it’s difficult, unpopular, or politically damaging. We’ve seen this quality in several U.S. presidents, but four in particular stand out—not for partisan wins, but for the ethical backbone they demonstrated when it mattered most....
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June 2, 2025
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You Swore an Oath. Keep It
What follows is not a partisan critique. It’s a call for accountability—from everyone. And in this case, it’s not just important. It’s essential. When a lawyer takes the oath of office, it’s not just a box to check. It’s a declaration—a personal and public commitment to uphold the law, serve the truth, and act with integrity. Pam Bondi took that...
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May 30, 2025
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The Cost of Denying the Truth
“If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.”–-Matthew 15:14 **When I first heard that President Biden had been diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer, I took this story down out of respect for him and his family. After reading the book, I’ve rewritten much of it, and I’m sharing it again now because I believe the...
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May 28, 2025
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Jake, Your Better Than This
Jake Tapper is a respected journalist. I say that not as a casual observer, but as someone who regularly watches his reporting and respects his work. He’s covered war zones, challenged presidents, and earned a reputation for fairness, tenacity, and doing the work. He asks tough questions and backs them up with facts. He’s written compelling books and brought needed...
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May 26, 2025
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Why Facts No Longer Matter (And Why That Matters)
In 2012, Justice David Souter—long retired, rarely seen—offered a quiet but powerful warning during a talk in New Hampshire. Reflecting on the erosion of civic understanding, he said: “What I worry about is that when problems are not addressed, people will not know who is responsible. And when the problems get bad enough—as they might—some one person will come forward...
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May 19, 2025
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A Shepherd with a Spine
Beginning Monday, I’ll be highlighting five U.S. Presidents who–when confronted with defining choices–led with integrity instead of expedience. These presidents didn’t just occupy the Oval Office; they embodied the values that give leadership its true meaning. Their choices remind us that integrity is not a political strategy—it’s a standard. Today, however, I begin with a new global leader—one who speaks...
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May 11, 2025