What happens when government policies submerge the will of the People? For one, we lose freedom. Let’s explore this topic as it affects many nations, including ours. In free countries, the people’s will is supposed to guide government policies. However, when government policies override or, worse, ignore the will of the people, freedom is the […]
Who Wins the Border Dispute? Texas or the Federal Government?
What you believe depends on your interpretation of the border dispute between Texas and the federal government. Do you think the federal government has the authority and, therefore, the responsibility to protect non-citizens from possible injuries while they try to take a “back door” into Texas? Does this impact BP agents from doing their work? […]
The Fifth Amendment and Private Property
What if the government wants to buy your property for its own use? The pictures below depict a home surrounded by beautiful woods— AND a frontage road, an interstate highway, sports field(s), and a multi-story hotel (I took the pictures from the hotel’s 5th-floor window). What is this home doing in the middle of a […]
Get To Know Amendments XI- XVII
Informal poll: Raise your hand if you know anything about amendments 11-27. Right. Not many, not many. I teach this material, and I still have to review it each time I present it! These days, it pays to know our rights and the changes made to our original Constitution. Let’s break it down: The Eleventh Amendment […]
Speak Up!
Welcome back to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. Speak Up! That’s our focus this week. I hope you find these articles instructive and encouraging as you exercise your First Amendment rights. Someone asked me if we are allowed to criticize any public official at the highest levels. Imagine not knowing your rights or the extent […]
Jobs Jobs Jobs
There’s a lot of talk about changes going on in our country. Have any significant changes come to your city? I’ve noticed for about a month now, grocery store shelves are left wanting with empty spaces to fill—the same as it was in spring of 2020. I wondered about that but didn’t question it until […]
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 […]
Straight Talk about Civil Unrest
What would you do? Not sure what I’d do if I had to live through “Protest Hell” as the direct object of gangs of verbally abusive, under 30-somethings. The scenes I’m seeing aren’t staged. They are first-person accounts. These incorrectly labeled “Peaceful Protestors” get up in your face as you walk in a suit and […]
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 […]
A Sharp Contrast
A few days ago, I wrote about the cancel culture movement (*link appears at the end of this article). There seems to be some confusion between the leftist activist movement in our country and cancel culture. I see two distinct movements at work. On the one hand, cancel culture is used primarily as a vehicle […]
It Starts in the Heart
People burning American cities down. A spark leads to a flame, then an inferno, and now spreads like a disease. Is it because a man was mistreated and then (allegedly) murdered by the police? Or is the issue more profound? Let’s apply Common Sense Civics and Citizenship to this all-important issue that unfortunately keeps repeating […]
No Longer Afraid
I saw the following sentence at 6:32 a.m. eastern time the Tuesday after Memorial Day and, after searching repeatedly, I could not find it several hours later in the publication. “But the photographs last weekend of crowded beaches, lakes, parks, and malls suggest millions of Americans are willing to defend to the death their right […]
