In 1989, America’s Voyager 2 spacecraft performed a reconnaissance flyby of Neptune, the distant ice giant planet that orbits about three billion miles from the sun. I was in graduate school then, and I stayed up all night watching PBS’s … Continue reading
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Bernie Sanders’ America
The raucous welcomes and thundering applause that have greeted America’s newest (and oldest) political rock star, the septuagenarian Bernie Sanders, have launched a cottage industry of puzzled pundits trying to figure out the source of his appeal. Of course it’s … Continue reading
Refugees and the Moral Crisis of Our National Debt
As a college student, in an era when college tuition was much lower, I was able to pay my college bills without taking any loans. First, I had the support of my parents. They paid my bill in full for my freshman … Continue reading
Cherry-Picking Pope Francis
While papal visits to the United States are increasingly common, what is uncommon is to see political-ideological battle lines drawn around a pope. The tendency this time is especially acute among liberals, who eagerly frame Francis as one of them—a … Continue reading
Remembering Yogi Berra, Baseball Player Extraordinaire … and Economic Philosopher
Major League Baseball in the 1950s and early 1960s. On a personality-rich team that included fellow Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford, Berra was the most colorful and arguably the most accomplished, having won three American League Most … Continue reading Continue reading
I Have the Nine … a Retrospective on the Charleston Church Shooting
On June 17, 2015, a young man entered Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina and was welcomed by members of the Bible study and prayer group. He sat with them for most of an hour and then … Continue reading
The American Constitution: Why It Endures
The greatest contribution that the Founders made to the well-being of America was the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It is appropriate that we talk about this document in a week when the Constitution is lauded. How is it that this … Continue reading
Was Margaret Sanger a Racist?
When I write about Margaret Sanger’s May 1926 speech to the women’s chapter of the KKK in Silverlake, New Jersey—as I did again recently—liberals get upset. They accuse me of distortion and even making up the whole thing. Many of them cannot … Continue reading
Your Life Expectancy and Your Social Security
According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, life expectancy in the United States is the longest ever, approaching 79 years. This was highlighted in the recent Time cover story, “This Baby Could Live to … Continue reading
The Federal Reserve Parking Lot
Recent commentary by David Stockman, former Reagan Administration budget chief, is timely for investors because it focuses on the Federal Reserve’s internal debate about “policy normalization” in advance of Wednesday’s important Federal Open Market Committee meeting. Stockman argues that the … Continue reading
Resting Place of a Humble Man
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator. William P. Clark died two years ago last month. When he passed, I wrote a tribute at The American Spectator, aptly titled “Bill Clark’s Divine Plan.” For those unfamiliar with … Continue reading
Queen Elizabeth: Long May She Reign
Barring the unexpected, Queen Elizabeth II, on September 9, 2015, will become the longest reigning British monarch, overtaking Queen Victoria, who reigned from 1837 to 1901. These historic 63-year reigns are separated by four kings who reigned for a combined … Continue reading
Black Pastors Protest Margaret Sanger at Smithsonian
Margaret Sanger is a saint in the feminist church. She is a charter member of the progressive hall of fame. Liberals revere this woman who preached “race improvement” and denounced what she called “human weeds,” “morons,” “idiots,” “imbeciles,” and the … Continue reading
Hillary Clinton’s “New College Compact” Raises An Important Question: Did She Ever Take Econ 101?
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. Today’s version of “a chicken in every pot” is Hillary Clinton’s proposed plan to “make college affordable and available to every American.” This is political catnip, pure and simple. And it is … Continue reading
A Faint Analogy of an Unimaginable Heaven
A pastor friend of mine, not trying to be irreverent or sacrilegious, once shared with me his own faint analogy of eternal hell—waking up every day and discovering yet again that it was moving day. I know that some will … Continue reading
Defining the Waters of the United States – Déjà vu all over again?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers have released their final rule defining what they believe constitutes “waters of the United States.” This effort, in their own terms, is to provide clarity on what constitutes waters … Continue reading
V&V Flashback | Patton, Ike, and My Teenage Boys
Editor’s note: Last week the world lost a brave soldier, a champion for veterans, and a friend to the Center for Vision & Values. As a tribute to Staff Sgt. Frank Kravetz, the Center is reprinting this article from 2013. Students … Continue reading
The “Not Enough Jobs” Scenario: An Economic Fallacy (But Possibly an Accurate Forecast)
Gallery
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. Once again, a scholar with impressive credentials is broadcasting the gloomy notion that Americans face a job-poor future. The insufficient-jobs scenario appeared in George Mason University economist Tyler Cowen’s book “Average Is Over” a … Continue reading
STREAMING VIDEO | 2015 | Aaron Burr: Foundered Father
Richard G. Jewell ’67, president emeritus of Grove City College, discusses the life of Aaron Burr before more than 140 guests at the March 17, 2015 American Founders Luncheon in Pittsburgh. From the chief collection of those who founded America … Continue reading
Wisdom that Can Make a Difference
“One death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic.”–Joseph Stalin Late in the afternoon of December 25, 1991, Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev resigned, declared his office closed, and handed over the keys to Russia’s nuclear deterrent to President Boris … Continue reading