Recent Politics Commentaries

Featured image for “Thomas Paine—A Man for Our Times”
Thomas Paine—A Man for Our Times
French philosopher Voltaire once observed, “Common sense is not so common.” Thomas Paine trusted it anyway and helped inspire a revolution built on it. In January 1776, Thomas Paine published Common Sense, a pamphlet that spoke in plain, direct language ordinary colonists could understand. English by birth, Paine became an extraordinary patriot. His words cut through chaos at one of...
Read More
September 15, 2025
Featured image for “What Kind of Nation Are We?”
What Kind of Nation Are We?
The murder of Charlie Kirk–gunned down while speaking at Utah Valley University–is another brutal reminder of how political beliefs can metastasize into hatred. On the night of April 4, 1968, after learning that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been assassinated, Robert F. Kennedy stood on the back of a flatbed truck before a largely African American crowd in Indianapolis...
Read More
September 11, 2025
Featured image for “The Soul of Democracy Hangs by a Thread”
The Soul of Democracy Hangs by a Thread
That title is not hyperbole —it’s a reflection of a reality too many dismiss as over the top. Democracy depends on reason—on the willingness of citizens and leaders alike to engage honestly, argue respectfully, and govern responsibly. It’s the democracy I studied in high school and college, reading The Federalist Papers, Alexis de Tocqueville, and Thomas Paine. It’s a system...
Read More
August 7, 2025
Featured image for “What J.D. Vance No Longer Stands For”
What J.D. Vance No Longer Stands For
Once celebrated as the thoughtful author of Hillbilly Elegy, Vance’s rise to the vice presidency is a lesson in political transformation—and not for the better. I liked Vance 1.0—who once spoke with empathy and moral clarity about the struggles of working-class Americans. But the Vance–who jumped 4 points to 5.0—serves as the willing enabler of a presidency marked by grievance,...
Read More
July 11, 2025
Featured image for “Waiting for Mr. Smith”
Waiting for Mr. Smith
It may seem obvious, but it couldn’t be more urgent: we need about a thousand Mr. Smiths in Washington right now. We need the idealism, yes, but we also need the pragmatism. We need leaders with the courage and character to stand up for what’s right. We need leaders who can turn vision into action and build a better, more...
Read More
July 7, 2025
Featured image for “The Right Stuff, The Right Way”
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...
Read More
June 16, 2025
Featured image for “It <em>Can</em> Happen Here”
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...
Read More
June 13, 2025
Featured image for “It Just <em>Doesn’t Stop</em>”
It Just Doesn’t Stop
“If they can be charged, we’ll charge them. But if they can’t be charged, we will name them. And we will name them, and in a culture that respects shame, they should be people that are ashamed. That’s the way things work.” That was a mission statement from Ed Martin, the man appointed to lead the Justice Department’s so-called “weaponization”...
Read More
June 5, 2025
Featured image for “Four More Presidents Who Took an Ethical Stand”
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....
Read More
June 2, 2025
Featured image for “You Swore an Oath. Keep It”
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...
Read More
May 30, 2025