In 1950, Senator Margaret Chase Smith of Maine stood alone on the Senate floor and delivered what would become one of the most courageous speeches in American political history. At a time when fear and smear were the tools of the day, she called out the reckless accusations and bullying tactics of Senator Joseph McCarthy. The Senate, she said, had...

In 1951, The Day the Earth Stood Still delivered a stark warning: humanity’s survival depends on its ability to overcome fear and embrace cooperation. More than 70 years later, that message remains as relevant as ever. The film’s central conflict—whether we choose peace or succumb to fear—mirrors the choices we face in today’s political and cultural landscape. The film tells...

Several times, I’ve been asked why I spend so much time writing about President Donald Trump. Two reasons (I’ll get to the second later): So many of his actions go far beyond the pale of ethical propriety. It’s not just that the lines are crossed, it’s how shamelessly they’re erased. Let’s focus on one issue: a conflict of interest. It’s...

“The mob is easily deceived, for it judges by appearances.” Aristotle’s words speak to a dangerous flaw in human nature: how easily fear can be stoked, trust compromised, and institutions dismantled from within. In 1947, amid growing fears of communist influence, President Harry Truman issued an executive order authorizing a “loyalty investigation of every person entering civilian employment” in the...

Respect is the foundation of a cohesive society, building trust, understanding, and cooperation. Manners—rooted in courtesy, and civility—shape how we engage with and treat others. Last week, Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife were attending a concert at The Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington. As soon as they took their seats, they were met with a chorus...

About once a year, the American Film Institute invites filmgoers to vote on the greatest heroes in cinema. Indiana Jones, James Bond, and Superman typically run high on the list because of the high-stakes, visually striking moments and the conflict of good versus evil, something that resonates powerfully on the big screen. Yet, one character consistently tops the list—a character...

Let me get this straight: … the Senate will vote to approve a woman with ties to authoritarian leaders, a man who has pushed vaccine conspiracy theories for years, and a man on the bubble who openly plans to fire thousands of career FBI agents who investigated Trump’s role on January 6, and have the White House oversee the agency....

(Note: this is a rough draft and still undergoing revisions.) Welcome, esteemed colleagues, to a comprehensive exploration of one of the most perplexing and confounding systems known to mankind: the United States political system. Drawing from years a few a couple of weeks of research, and kind of rigorous analysis (a caffeine binge helped), this thesis aims to explain the...

I’ve been revisiting Ken Burns’ series on the history of baseball, and it sparked some interesting comparisons to a subject that headlines the news daily. Baseball values sportsmanship, fairness, and integrity. Politics far too often involves the polar opposite. While character has once been evident in the halls of Congress (I haven’t figured out which halls, yet), it now seems...

“The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.”—Lincoln We’ve seen an outpouring of help and unified efforts from...