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 […]
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 […]
Did the Declaration Exclude Women and Minorities?
The Declaration of Independence uses the noun “Men” and not “Women.” Today’s cultural drift has encouraged us to take issue with the use of the word “Men” as it is not inclusive, they say. I would argue that, indeed, the word “Men,” as used in our founding documents, includes all humans today. Historical Meaning of […]
