In January 2019, Gerald Groff left the Holtwood Post Office in the small rural community of Holtwood, Pennsylvania, located in Lancaster County. When he left, he figured it was likely for good. He resigned his mail carrier position there because … Continue reading
That America’s social fabric is frayed hardly needs further documentation. Likewise, that the historic strength of the American family has dramatically waned is obvious to all who care to look. The reasons for these declines are legion while countervailing trends … Continue reading
In case you hadn’t noticed, America is a bit of a mess right now. The country is as polarized as it has been for a long, long time. In most scientific studies of worldwide increases in polarization, the United States … Continue reading
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator. On Thursday, February 23, the two-week-long, nonstop religious revival at tiny Asbury University in rural Wilmore, Kentucky saw its official end. Starting with about 20 students who stayed after a … Continue reading
Moral hazard occurs when an agreement people make to act in concert for their mutual benefit results in an incentive for one of them to act immorally. The classic case is insurance. When an insurance company contracts with a homeowner … Continue reading
Did you celebrate the “International Day of Family Remittances” this year? Probably not. If you’re like most Americans, the word “remittance” is foreign to you. However, to families in countries around the world, remittances are lifelines that help them overcome … Continue reading
“Economics,” wrote Henry Hazlitt, “is haunted by more fallacies than any other study known to man.” True. No epoch is immune to the scourge of economic illiteracy. Yet, we find ourselves in a moment of especially unprecedented economic ignorance. We’ve … Continue reading
Last week, I spoke with a lifelong friend. He has lived in western Canada for almost 50 years, and he was in Phoenix staying at the home of another lifelong friend. Rick flew to Phoenix to arrange for knee-replacement surgery. … Continue reading
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator. In a column for The American Spectator last week, Mary Grabar asked, “Why does Black History Month ignore the author of ‘the most talked about column in Negro America?’” That label for the late, … Continue reading
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “Why does Black History Month ignore the author of ‘the most talked about column in Negro America?,’” asks a column by Mary Grabar in The American Spectator. Grabar is certainly … Continue reading
In 1950, Eileen Barton’s rendition of “If I knew you were coming I’d have baked a cake” became #1 on the Billboard charts. Until 2012, that song might well have been Colorado baker Jack Phillips’ favorite. But in that year, … Continue reading
To celebrate Black History Month this February, we could highlight the significant contributions of dozens of African American physicians, lawyers, scientists, intellectuals, and entertainers who have attacked racial discrimination, substantially improved the world, and helped elevate the reputation of their … Continue reading
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator. Karl Marx once famously commented that Hegel wrote that history repeats itself. Marx then supplemented this by noting that this happens the first time as tragedy, the second as farce. … Continue reading
To show partiality in judgment is not good. Proverbs 24:23 There is nothing more dangerous to authoritarianism than a principle applied impartially. Authoritarianism thrives on group bias. Thus, one of the cures for authoritarianism is a willingness to be fair … Continue reading
Last week, economist, professor, and adventurer Yuri Maltsev passed away. Yuri’s passing is a gigantic loss for the economics profession, for the conservative and libertarian movements, and for me personally. He was a courageous advocate for truth, justice, and liberty—a … Continue reading
Grove City College’s historic commitment to freedom is purposely conveyed to each generation of students through our unique core curriculum. We believe that a populace well versed in the classical liberal arts will be one that not only understands the … Continue reading
For the past couple of years, I have been working with the faculty at Grove City College to assess and review the core curriculum. While the culture at large, and higher education in particular, have been pushing greater and greater … Continue reading
My new Human Resources/Medicare employment identity is “Working Aged.” Ok, sure, I get it—as in elderly, feeble, decrepit, ancient, debilitated, worn out and shot. Yes, I am 64 and approaching retirement age, but what a dispiriting designation. If I continue … Continue reading
Freedom inherently involves risks. If you want your children to roam free at the local playground, they might injure themselves on the big slide. If you want the freedom to watch baseball, someone might get hit in the head by … Continue reading
Once again this Christmas season, countless Americans sat down to watch Frank Capra’s Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, starring the great Jimmy Stewart. I’ve seen the movie plenty of times. So why did it leave me crying again this year? … Continue reading
