“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 […]
A Road Map for What’s Next
“These are the times that try men’s souls…”- Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense. As Americans, we can relate to Thomas Paine’s pain, if you will. We wonder, what will happen in the next days and weeks to our country? What will be the outcome? Since this is a civics education page, I will summarize […]
Bill of Rights Day
What is the right that you treasure the most in our Bill of Rights? I can’t pick just one. I treasure them all! I mean, look at this shortlist. What’s not to like? I want to live in a country that guarantees my rights by law. These rights are in our DNA: Freedom of religion, […]
Election Challenges-What’s Next?
Are you trying to understand or make sense of all that is going on with the presidential election challenges? Me too. I’ve been listening, reading, and taking notes. I’ll jot down here some ‘knowns” and what possibilities could happen in the coming days. Please be advised that there will not be a new presidential election. […]
Questions That Demand a Verdict
Many questions surround the transition and the legal process that Americans are a part of as we begin the holiday season. Let’s address a few of these questions by going to the Constitution and United States law to follow the events that are taking place in our nation today. I heard some legalese about how […]
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 […]
About the 25th Amendment…
When it comes to civics, we’re on it. Let’s brush up on the 25th Amendment since that is one of the “October surprises” that has everybody talking. Why the 25th Amendment? At the dawn of the 20th century and as the nation grew in population and prominence, the President’s responsibilities increased. The world became more […]
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 […]
From the Mailbox
From the mailbox… Two interesting questions appeared in my mailbox this week. One concerns the redistribution of wealth. The other is about the government’s role in the Post Office. I love this stuff! Let’s dive right in, starting with the USPS. The United States Postal Service (USPS) wants you to know their top 13 facts. […]
From the Mailbag
From my mailbag: Let’s take a peek inside my Common Sense Civics and Citizenship mailbag to see what is on a few fellow Americans’ minds. (There’s always a link on this website to “Join the Conversation” if you would like to see the responses and conversations we have on my social media education page). Question: […]
Simple Civics 101-The Executive Branch
Let’s do a basic civics review of the Presidency, which is the federal government’s Executive Branch. Qualifications: Must be at least 35 years old Natural born citizen of the United States Must be a resident of the United States for the past 14 years Term of Service: Four years Two-term limit Note: the Founding Fathers […]
Simple Civics 101
Simple Civics 101- a weekly review of basic American civics Today we are discussing Federal and State powers. It has become evident in the past several weeks that many Americans don’t understand the difference between the federal government’s responsibilities and their state government. (Think “pandemic response” or “Seattle’s former CHOP zone as examples). Studying civics […]
What About Mandatory Vaccinations?
Can the government force everyone in this country to be vaccinated against the coronavirus when a vaccine becomes available? Let’s examine this from a civics and citizenship perspective, not through the lens of panic and fear. One side of the debate says authoritatively that yes, the government can force you to be vaccinated. They cite […]
What Will a Post-COVID USA Look Like?
What kind of government will we have when the dust clears from the COViD crisis? Will we become a nation of men rather than a nation of laws? Will we be subject to rule by a few? Or will we retain our heritage of a constitutional republic of, by, and for the People? We need […]
If Gun Control Could Fix It… (but it can’t)
Here we go again… more talk of gun control due to the mass shooting and murders in south Florida. The students and teachers who were shot didn’t have guns. Remember the people in the Florida nightclub? They were not armed. Neither were the grade school children at Sandy Hook or the Columbine high school students. […]
