American History & Presidents

President Obama’s Munich Moment

In September 1938 the British prime minister had a problem. The Third Reich’s psychopath-in-chief was scorching the airwaves in one of his trademark rants, this time about the supposed oppression of Germans living in Czechoslovakia. He threatened war unless Western … Continue reading

The Winners and Losers From QE3

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com. The only doubt about the Federal Reserve’s decision to embark on a third round of quantitative easing was about when it would begin. It was a foregone conclusion that Chairman Ben Bernanke’s … Continue reading

Religion and the Election of 2012

Religious issues have played a significant role in numerous presidential elections, as they are in 2012. In 1800, his opponents accused Thomas Jefferson of atheism and trying to undermine the republic’s Christian foundation. In 1928 and 1960, many Americans were alarmed by the Catholic … Continue reading

The Silence of Bill and Hillary Clinton

Editor’s note: A different version of this article first appeared at National Catholic Register. Bill Clinton was basking in glory at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night. Few presidents so love the spotlight. The occasion for Clinton, however, was not himself, … Continue reading

Is There an Afterlife?

Throughout human history people have pondered whether death ends their existence or is the gateway to an afterlife. In recent decades millions around the world have reported near-death or out-of-body experiences. The world’s major religions teach various conceptions of an … Continue reading

A More Immediate Threat

On July 23, 2012, Syria—one of seven nations not to sign the Chemical Weapons Convention—admitted owning a stockpile of chemical and biological weapons. A foreign ministry spokesman warned that Damascus would use these weapons against any force intervening in its … Continue reading

Remembering Gene Kelly

This August 23, 2012 marks the centennial of the birth of Gene Kelly, the great American dancer, actor, singer; a guy’s guy who—along with Fred Astaire—is the only male who ever left me (momentarily) wishing I could dance. I’ve always … Continue reading

What’s In a Recovery?

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at Forbes.com.Thomson Reuters’ latest survey of Wall Street analysts’ expectations about next quarter’s corporate earnings has prompted some to wonder whether the canary in the coal mine is beginning to feel lightheaded. … Continue reading