Election Day is upon us. It’s not the names of the candidates for me. It’s about our 240+-year-old American heritage. Will we vote for freedom and put socialism far away from us? Will we vote for individual self-reliance? Or will we vote for a nanny state? Will we vote for the Bill of Rights and […]
The Constitution Belongs to You and Me
Presidents come and go. They make their mark. For sure, not all had perfect personal lives. Take, for example, Grover Cleveland. He legally paid an immigrant $300 to take his place in the Civil War (legal for the sole supporter of a family at that time). He had a child out of wedlock when he […]
Presidential Debates Need a Makeover
This article isn’t a ploy to get “my” candidate elected. It isn’t yesterday’s topic, for we elect a President every four years. I think The Commission on Presidential Debates should be dissolved. It was a good idea at one time, but the times have changed. The Commission has not. I haven’t been satisfied with the […]
A Day with the Declaration
Americans may have learned about the Declaration of Independence once upon a time, but what they really want to know about is its relevance to today. Recently, I conducted a workshop on this very subject. A few cups of coffee on a cold, windy Saturday morning, and a huge framed replica of the original document […]
If You Pack It In, Pack It Up
Bad things happen when we get our civics from secondary sources. Let me illustrate a principle: If you have a 6-pack of beer and drink 1 can, you no longer have a 6-pack. If you replace that can, you have a 6-pack. You are replacing the can. If you have a 6-pack of beer and […]
There’s a Process For That!
Any well-run organization has a great process. The United States is such an organization. We have a great process in place for presidential succession. This topic continues to trend. Did many Americans ditch civics class when this was taught? Wait. Maybe there was no civics class. ? If the President is unable to assume the […]
The President is Ill
Our President is ill. Will one of our enemies take advantage of this situation? Before 6:00 a.m., when I heard the news that the President and First Lady contracted coronavirus, the commentator’s very next sentence was speculation about U.S. vulnerability to our adversaries. What might Iran, China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran view as an […]
Presidential Debate Makeover
By now, you have heard and seen it all about the first presidential debate, which many Americans are struggling to call a “debate.” It’s been called a lot of things, mostly negative. Americans instinctively know what debate should look and sound like. For sure, the debate did not follow the rules for civility that we […]
It’s An Issue
Our citizenship is not just a piece of paper. It’s how we live. Since this is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship, let’s apply what we intuitively know about a citizenship issue facing us. My antennae went up early this morning when I heard Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, called various names for adopting two children […]
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Another week, another set of challenges! Lots of questions, not a lot of answers. Here’s a question I’m struggling with as our nation will be laying Associate Justice Ginsburg to rest and watching for the announcement of a nominee to the Supreme Court . Thank you for being here. We at Common Sense Civics and […]
Hell on Earth 2020
Those pictures coming in from the west coast look like real “hell on earth.” I can’t even imagine. None of us can unless we have been relocated to a shelter, are battling the inferno, or have personal experience with wildfires. Before I share with you a text I received, please know that we don’t turn […]
From the Mailbox
Well, not exactly the mailbox… I received a phone call over the weekend from a loved one, who asked a compelling question. “Why do you believe what you believe? I just don’t understand someone like you. How could you think like this?” (names my beliefs that are in question) How would you answer someone if […]
Simple Civics 101 Election Basics
Feeling bombarded with ads, calls, billboards, texts, etc. about the November 3 election? It’s a war! The war is over YOU and your vote. Every modern means to secure your support is used. Generals in any war use tactics to win the skirmishes and battles along the way. Elections are like that. Sound bites, slogans, […]
From the Mailbox…
Let’s make the complex simple. One CSCC participant would like to know my thoughts about the term “living constitution.” First, have you ever heard of “the living constitution?” This is a philosophy based on a “revolving door” definition of truth. When our Founders wrote the US Constitution, “truth” was defined as absolute and unchanging. For […]
Simple Civics 101- Special Interest Groups
Simple Civics 101- Special Interest Groups Special Interest Groups often get a bad rap. Let’s learn about them-who they are, what they do, and why they exist. Special Interest Groups are composed of like-minded people seeking to advocate for their cause, educate the public, and influence public policy. They work through the political process to […]
