Civics & Citizenship

Recapture Our American Civil Discourse

Candace teaches the fundamentals of liberty that inspired the American system of government.
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American Courage: Triumphs, Resolve, Innovation

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A supreme display of courage and American spirit in the last few weeks has taken the edge off the constant bombardment of negativity in the media. American greatness is a citizenship issue. Let’s discuss it. Artemis II Re-entry: A Nation Inspired The Artemis II crew and their high-stakes re-entry captivated Americans, especially those new to following space flight. As the crew emerged from their Integrity spacecraft, there was a sense of American greatness in the air among the thousand people who “did their job” to make this happen. (1) Risk-Takers by Choice: American Innovation For a fleeting moment, one remembers that while all the negativity about America drones on, we are an innovative, creative, courageous people. We have among us some of the greatest risk-takers in the world. They are that way by choice, not government force. The F-15 Rescue: Courage Under Pressure The dramatic hostage rescue of an F-15 weapons systems officer from the mountains of Iran and …

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Rediscovering Common Ground: Binding a Nation

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What does it actually mean to find common ground in our nation today? Let’s continue our discussion based on the writings of Walter Isaacson in his book “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written” (2025). Isaacson’s “Common Ground” and the Greatest Sentence In his chapter "Common Ground," Isaacson asserts that the Declaration’s self-evident truths "became the creed that bound a diverse group of pilgrims and immigrants into one nation" (p. 27). As a reminder, these self-evident truths form what he considers the greatest sentence ever written.  Common Ground: Self‑evident Truths that United a Nation They are:  -All men are created equal.  -They are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.  -Among these rights are life, liberty, and property (the pursuit of happiness).  Isaacson says it was on this sentence that our forefathers found common ground. (p. 27) They built cities with common spaces, yet maintained rugged individualism. They …

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I educate Americans on who we are, what we stand for, and how to communicate with one another!
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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. …

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Recent Articles

American Courage: Triumphs, Resolve, Innovation

A supreme display of courage and American spirit in the last few weeks has taken the edge off the constant bombardment of negativity in the media. American greatness is a citizenship issue. Let’s discuss it. Artemis II Re-entry: A Nation Inspired The Artemis II crew and their high-stakes re-entry captivated Americans, especially those new to […]

Rediscovering Common Ground: Binding a Nation

What does it actually mean to find common ground in our nation today? Let’s continue our discussion based on the writings of Walter Isaacson in his book “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written” (2025). Isaacson’s “Common Ground” and the Greatest Sentence In his chapter “Common Ground,” Isaacson asserts that the Declaration’s self-evident truths “became the creed […]

Understanding the 25th Amendment and Presidential Succession

Have you heard rumblings about the 25th Amendment in the past few days? I sure have, and from different sources, too.  To be “in the know,” let’s quickly review this section of the Constitution. You may find one or more of the sections to be of great interest. The Twenty-fifth Amendment concerns presidential succession and […]

Timeless Workplace Decorum: Lessons from George Washington

In an age where incivility feels normal, George Washington’s teenage rules offer a surprising guide to workplace and public decorum. Some years ago, followers of Common Sense Civics and Citizenship studied George Washington’s “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation” (Applewood Books, 1988). We learned about the rules of life that George […]

United by Founding Principles: Restoring Common Ground

Walter Isaacson, in his book “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written” (The Greatest Sentence Ever Written (2025), Simon & Schuster), talks about how the self-evident truths (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) in the Declaration of Independence became the foundation of the American government. He writes, “These truths became the creed that bound a diverse […]

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 […]