There have been times in our nation’s history when Americans have faced great trials and decisions. The War for Independence, The Constitutional Convention, the Civll War, and World War I are a few examples of times when our nation united collectively to pray in times of trouble.“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…” […]
What’s Our Problem?
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. Each week I look for themes and topics that challenge us to grow in our knowledge of American civics and citizenship. This week, I’m at a loss for words. The news would have us believe that America is standing on the street corner of Fear Avenue and Crazy […]
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. The advantage of being a subscriber is the ability to see Common Sense Civics and Citizenship without the comments that usually appear with […]
If It Ain’t Brokered, Don’t Fix It
If It Ain’t Brokered, Don’t Fix It! In other words, if a national political convention chooses a candidate on the first round of balloting, celebrate! That candidate won a majority of delegate votes in the first round. Enjoy the party! However, if a candidate is not chosen to represent their party on the first ballot, […]
What Time Is It?
It’s that time of year… daylight savings time. Here we go again! The movement to stay on DST year round continues to grow. Federal law must change in order for states to stay on a uniform time year round. I also heard that it would need to be a regional change. For example, all of […]
How Convention Delegates are Chosen
Primary season is in full swing. The field of candidates is narrowing. Convention preparation is happening. How many of you know how delegates are selected to attend the summer Democrat and Republican conventions? I only “see” a few hands up 🙂 Who knows what a superdelegate is? Right. Let’s go over the process with a […]
Leap Day, Leap of Faith
Happy Leap Day! This week took a leap of faith to “Keep Calm and Wash Your Hands” as Americans wiped out gains in the stock market, stockpiled face masks, and let the conspiracy theories roll. In the past couple of days, I communicated with my Washington contacts. They are right there in the mix of […]
Common Sense Applied
Common sense goes a long way in solving problems and in making life livable. You have it, or you most likely wouldn’t be a regular or visitor to this page. Here at Common Sense Civics and Citizenship, we apply sound judgment to practical matters in everyday life, including the rule of law. I’m guessing that […]
New Seminar!
Hey Everyone! I’ll be speaking next month at a seminar called “Our Founding American Documents.” I will focus on the importance of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and how they apply to our lives today. What kind of questions do YOU have about the U.S. Constitution? What do you think people misunderstand about […]
Don’t Put Your Eggs In One Basket
Your mother was right. Don’t put your eggs all in one basket. Roger. Copy that. Except we, as a country, didn’t. I was stunned to learn how much of our supply chain comes from China. Take, for example, our footwear. Ninety percent of it comes from China. (Hello, Brazil, Italy, and Spain? This is the […]
You Make It Look Easy
Alert! This is NOT an article about Michael Bloomberg. He is a Democrat party candidate for President and has caused quite a stir with his description of the process of farming back in 2016. But wait. This is an education page, not a political analysis page. Let’s look at the process we have in place […]
President’s Day
It’s President’s Day! How about taking a virtual tour of Mount Vernon? Or viewing the historical White House on your computer? There are also opportunities to do tours of the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Mount Rushmore right from your favorite chair. Just do a search of the term that catches your eye, grab a […]
This Week: The Debt, The Electoral College and Manifest Destiny
We have hit the hot button on some topics this week that have generated a lot of discussion on the Common Sense Civics and Citizenship Facebook page. Perhaps you have been involved in the Electoral College debates. Or, maybe you wonder who is going to pay the bill for all the government program proposals. Many […]
Manifest Destiny- The 28th Principle of Freedom
At last, we have arrived! Well, at least to the end of our book study in Cleon Skousen’s masterful work on Principles of Freedom called “The 5000 Year Leap.”(Skousen, W. Cleon. The Five Thousand Year Leap: 28 Ideas That Changed the World. National Center for Constitutional Studies, 1981). The 28th and final Principle of Freedom […]
The Electoral College Debate
The big buzz lately is all about the Electoral College. Some people are actively campaigning for the popular vote to be the final say in presidential elections. In short, these Americans want to do away with the constitutionally mandated Electoral College. The Electoral College just happened to be in the lesson I taught this week […]