“The Constitution is not a living organism. It’s a legal document, and it says what it says and doesn’t say what it doesn’t say.”- Justice Antonin Scalia Recently, I was the guest speaker in a high school government class. I taught the Bill of Rights from the late Justice Scalia’s perspective. So, in talking about […]
The Absolute Amendments
Welcome back to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship! I hope that your week is off to a great start, both personally and professionally. This week, we paid attention to what is being said to us and about us as a country. The first article, “The Absolute Amendments,” explores the mistaken idea that our amendments are […]
Delusion or Decision?
“People never give up their liberties but under some delusion.” -Edmund Burke, Irish statesman, economist, philosopher, and a contemporary of our Founders I read this quote, and it stopped me in my tracks. We gave up a lot of our liberties over the past year. If Burke is correct, that begs the question: Are we […]
God, Property, and Politics
Welcome! Thank you for returning to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. More and more Americans are beginning to speak up on the issues, rather than being blind-sided into silence. It is my hope that our subscribers gain insights that help you as you sort through the issues. In our first article, we look at two […]
Complicit in Child Trafficking?
Is the United States unintentionally complicit in trafficking children internationally? This question was postulated over the weekend by a couple of sources. If someone floats a statement like that about my fellow citizens and me, I want to dig deeper to see what is going on. So I did. Late last week, photos surfaced from […]
Let’s Take a Closer Look
Welcome! Thank you for subscribing to this newsletter and returning this week. By chance, have you noticed there are two diametrically opposing statements about the same issues facing our country lately? Who is telling the truth? Better yet, what are the facts so you and I can come to our own conclusions. We have two […]
United? Or Divided States of America?
Aren’t we focusing on the wrong thing? How is dividing America into factions and groups making us a better nation? Are we not straying farther and farther away from our national motto, “Out of Many, One”? Everywhere I turn, I hear more and more stories of how we seek to honor our differences, not unite […]
Ask.
We the People are beginning to ask probing questions about the direction of our country. In this week’s newsletter, I address the need for us to ask more questions. We need answers. When we ask and keep on asking, one of the benefits is that we keep a free press, not a government controlled press. […]
Pandemic Life in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia
Wonder what the atmosphere is really like in Washington, DC, and Philadelphia lately? It was an interesting trip I took to those two historically American cities recently. I have a few personal observations for those who might be curious. The usual hustle and bustle of visitors during spring break in Washington was noticeably absent. This […]
How Would You Define Freedom?
What would you guess the definition of the word “freedom” was at the time of America’s founding? What do you think the meaning of freedom is today? Let’s consult the “American Dictionary of the English Language,” aka Webster’s Dictionary 1828. After all, it was the source of definitions de rigueur. The noun had about eight […]
Welcome New Subscribers!
Thank you for subscribing to the weekly updates. Each week I will include the latest articles I have written. An occasional personal note from me will also arrive in the weekly email. Today is one of those days. More and more, people are questioning our viability as a lasting society. This week, I address those […]
Could We Lose Our American Identity?
You could lose your identity as: an employee an owner an individual a countryside dweller an outspoken critic an inventor a sports enthusiast an American Wait. Could we lose our identity as Americans? Not “American in Name Only.” I mean the traditions and values that make us uniquely American. I believe we could lose our […]
Common Sense Applied
One of the goals of this page is to encourage wise and responsible citizenship. I hope that we find value in practicing common sense citizenship as a part of everyday life. We look around and wonder if that goal has “left the station.” Let’s look at a few items that Americans are dealing with and […]
Justice Clarence Thomas’ Dissent-a learning opportunity
So many voices, and for me, so little clarity. Let’s do some discovery. Justice Clarence Thomas issued a dissenting opinion on the Pennsylvania election case, specifically, the denial of a writ of certiorari. (What is that? See below) His writing presents a learning opportunity for us. The opinion is short, readable, understandable, and gives us […]
Are America’s Best Days Over?
I get notes these days from people who want to give up on America. They say its best days are over. So, I got to thinking about this. Having traveled a fair amount, I’ve seen how other parts of the world live in Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East, South America, New Zealand, and […]
