Who were the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists? As we consider the Constitutional debates, let’s clarify these two groups of patriots. Yes, that’s right. Both groups were patriotic Americans and supported the Constitution. They raised different but compelling concerns over what type of Constitutional government would best serve Americans then and in the future. Why the […]
What Was at Stake? The Constitutional Debate
We think today’s political climate is contentious, but what about the Constitutional debates prior to adopting and ratifying our U.S. Constitution? At stake was whether we would have a national government or a loose confederation of states. The Birth of American Government: A Story o f Dialogue and Debate Each side had pros and cons. […]
The Rise of Communism: Its Impact on American Values
You may find the news increasingly upsetting lately. There is more coverage of murder, more surveys showing that young people under 40 want communism (socialism, Marxism, etc.), and free stuff. There are more lawsuits, more declines in public education, and more sexual issues at the forefront of the news. Why does everything around us seem […]
How Government Promises Shape Everyday American Life
How do you want to be governed? Today we are seeing people elected or running for elected office who profess communism. A Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) leader said a few weeks ago that the goal of the DSA is communism. Note: socialism, democratic socialism, and various pseudonyms are sellable versions of the same endgame- […]
Understanding Socialism’s Influence on America
If you care about the future of our country, it makes sense to learn about the current cultural shift toward socialism and away from a Constitutional Republic. I’ve been hearing a lot about the revised Democratic Socialists of America platform that is to be made public in a few weeks at the Socialists Summit. This […]
Defining a Statesman: Qualities, Roles, and Distinctions
What is a statesman? We hear this word frequently lately. As Americans, we should determine for ourselves whether we think of a person as a statesman, not just because the media labels them that way. Qualities That Define a Statesman Upon looking up the definition of a statesman, there seems to be a general consensus […]
Understanding the Supremacy Clause and ICE Agents
Can the Supremacy Clause protect ICE agents from prosecution? I have this question, and maybe you do, too. To answer this, let’s explore what the Supremacy Clause means and how it works. What is the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause? The Supremacy Clause is a part of the U.S. Constitution. It says that the Constitution, all […]
Deeply Divided: Rekindling Civic Virtues and Values
One of our participants in Common Sense Civics and Citizenship expressed concerns that our nation’s divisiveness may be irreparable for these reasons: -He says two, maybe 3 generations have been indoctrinated rather than educated. -This participant believes such indoctrination has negatively altered our country’s core values. -He argues that coping with these […]
Understanding America’s Shift towards Socialism
Why are so many Americans voting for socialists, Marxists, or communists? The common reason given is that people are finding it hard to “make ends meet,” so they are looking to politicians for food and housing. History has been around this block more than once, and it’s been a disappointment, albeit an abject failure, yet […]
The American Dream: Liberty, Responsibility & Limited Government
There are many interpretations of the American Dream. I just read one by author Walter Isaacson (The Greatest Sentence Ever Written (2025), Simon & Schuster). He talks about how the American Dream is brought to us by our government through economic means. I disagree. I believe the American Dream rests on limited government plus personal […]
Teaching the Declaration Still Matters Today
As the school year winds down, I am preparing a Jr. High civics lesson on the reasons to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Why the Declaration Still Matters Today, many in our country don’t seem to understand the brilliance of the Declaration of Independence. Instead of embracing that our rights come from God, they place their […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Crafting America’s Defining Sentence, 1776
Look closely at the picture accompanying this article—history in the making. The painting is “Writing the Declaration of Independence, 1776” by J.L.G. Ferris. The Library of Congress describes the painting as “Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams meet at Jefferson’s lodgings, on the corner of Seventh and High (Market) streets in Philadelphia, to review […]
