Civics & Citizenship

Recapture Our American Civil Discourse

Candace teaches the fundamentals of liberty that inspired the American system of government.
Join the Discussion

Main Content

Restore Majority Rule: End the Filibuster

By

Does it bother you that TSA and other federal workers go unpaid during shutdowns?” It does me. Let’s look at this issue. Origins: How the Filibuster Began (1806) At the heart of the matter is the filibuster rule, which was established in 1806 by accident (!) You see, the U.S. Senate unintentionally eliminated a rule allowing a simple majority to end debate. Now, the Senate can have unlimited debate, called a “filibuster.” Evolution: From Talking to Silent Filibusters While the filibuster rules have evolved over time, the idea remains the same: Stall or block a vote on legislation by endlessly occupying the Senate floor. The debate ends either naturally or by cloture ( 60 votes). Today’s filibuster is a “silent filibuster”, where no one is speaking endlessly. A vote is called, but the minority party, along with a few majority party votes, can simply vote “no” to end the debate. You must have at least 60 votes to end the debate and vote on the measure at …

Continue Reading about Restore Majority Rule: End the Filibuster →

Action Over Anger Always

By

What good comes from fretting our nation? Action, not anger, offers a far better chance of changing things than venting and complaining. I’ve recently been asked by fellow citizens why “Congress doesn’t do something about this or that!” Here is one example: “Why doesn’t Congress stop third parties from ‘jacking up’ the price of concert tickets? Capitalism at its worst,” was this fellow American’s lament to me. I live in a medium-sized city. A big name 1990’s rockstar is coming to town. Seats are in demand, but the cheapest ticket, apparently, is going for $400.00. The expensive seats are $1300.00. The person asking this question was bemused that when you go online to buy a ticket, you are immediately routed to a third-party website. The price is marked up to an extremely high level from the original price.  Practicing Action Over Anger  I gently reminded this grown adult that people pay the high prices for entertainment, viewing it as a once-in-a-lifetime …

Continue Reading about Action Over Anger Always →

Articles & Resources

Get helpful information on how to have good productive conversations with your friends, family and aquaintances

View All Articles

Speaking

Candace is available to speak to organizations, classrooms, churches, homeschool co-ops, or special interest groups.

Invite Candace to Speak
- "Informative" "Fascinating" “Interactive”-
Chris M., Age 28, Marketing and Communications Consultant Covey

What I Do

I educate Americans on who we are, what we stand for, and how to communicate with one another!
Candace sitting and talking with people

Candace has a variety of teaching experiences and is a certified instructor for adults and homeschoolers through the Institute on the Constitution. Her hobbies include walking, world travel, Pilates, writing, and spending time with her grandsons. …

Meet Candace about About Candace

Recent Articles

Restore Majority Rule: End the Filibuster

Does it bother you that TSA and other federal workers go unpaid during shutdowns?” It does me. Let’s look at this issue. Origins: How the Filibuster Began (1806) At the heart of the matter is the filibuster rule, which was established in 1806 by accident (!) You see, the U.S. Senate unintentionally eliminated a rule […]

Action Over Anger Always

What good comes from fretting our nation? Action, not anger, offers a far better chance of changing things than venting and complaining. I’ve recently been asked by fellow citizens why “Congress doesn’t do something about this or that!” Here is one example: “Why doesn’t Congress stop third parties from ‘jacking up’ the price of concert […]

Understanding and Preserving Our Fundamental Rights

If someone were to ask you what your fundamental rights as an American are, how would you answer? Many people cite freedom of religion or the right to bear arms as their fundamental American rights. However, those rights are in the Constitution, specifically, the Bill of Rights ratified in 1791. Our country was born in […]

Parchment and Promise: American Founders’ Courage

Standing before the original Declaration at the National Archives, I felt the quiet gravity of the moment—56 pens poised to risk everything to birth a nation. It’s Summer, 1776. The signers of the Declaration of Independence gather for an overwhelming task. What kind of guts does it take to start a nation that puts The […]

Unalienable or Inalienable: Which Right Is Correct?

In this year of America’s 250th birthday, we continue our study of the Declaration of Independence. Do you say “inalienable” or “unalienable”? Origin of “unalienable” in the Declaration of Independence Walter Isaacson, in his book “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written” (The Greatest Sentence Ever Written (2025), Simon & Schuster), points out that the word “inalienable” […]

Avoid Tribal Media: Choose Civic Unity

Problems caused by partisan, manipulative, and low‑quality media What kind of media should Americans avoid if they don’t want to break up into a tribal nation (a nation where citizens divide politically, economically, socially, and go to war against each other and eventually break apart)? See also https://civicsandcitizenship.org/americas-challenge-preventing-a-tribal-future/ Don’t consume a steady diet of media […]

Discipline, Faith, and Washington’s Leadership

Recently, I closed an article with this sentence:  “Leadership matters…let’s reflect on the importance of leadership, not only whether we like a person or a movement, but also how well we are led.”   I came across a couple of General George Washington’s quotes that highlight the discipline and character he expected of individual soldiers […]

Fraternal Affection vs. Factional Fury

What would it look like if America divided itself into two warring divisions with the promise of retribution if one or the other division won power? Let’s look at wisdom from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln that is as relevant today as it was during their time. Guarding Against Partisan Jealousies Washington warned in his […]

America’s Challenge: Preventing a Tribal Future

Do you think tribalism is America’s future? I always thought “tribal” meant “ethnic only.” People can divide over many types of differences: political, economic, or social differences are a few examples. I recently learned that countries in Africa became tribal. They were not necessarily inherently tribal. What about the former Czechoslovakia? At one point, they […]