I was a soldier most of my adult life. My time as a legislator came afterwards and I learned in short order that politics, particularly in a campaign, is about making the case to lead. Governance is actually engaging in that leadership. The former can be very partisan. The latter is particularly challenging. One Read more
What would they think? It’s a debatable proposition whether our Founding Fathers would be supportive of all that is being done in today’s America in the name of unifying the country. Indeed, would they recoil in the face of disunifying activities done in the name of unity? Or would they regard them as Read more
Leadership has been on my mind lately. Most of the lessons I learned about the subject are from others who modeled it. I learned the principles in my military education and practiced them in the course of my time as a soldier and a legislator. But to be certain, my philosophy of leadership Read more
With the approach of Independence Day, my thoughts turn to patriotism. When I was an elected official, that included the Independence Day parade in my community where I would bring a horse drawn team and a wagon filled with supporters to greet celebrating people along the way. I shook many hands on Read more
Cultural Revolution is afoot, at least for those who don’t seem to care for the order of a constitutional republic where the rule of law, not the rule of man, is elevated over the passions of the day. The response to the recent trouble over race by those who have taken Read more
July is nearly upon us and with it the hot weather that comes with a typical summer. Following their revolution in 1789, the French renamed the month of July “Thermidor’, derived from the from Greek thermon or “summer heat”. Their 1793 revolutionary calendar was imposed for about 12 years until 1805, and was designed Read more
It’s impossible these days to escape the turmoil we see in American politics. The frontage encompasses everything from race to the environment. Nothing is untouched. All is politicized. Much of what besets the nation is rooted in a continuation of the “Culture Wars.” This is not new. In August of 1992, Pat Buchanan, running for the Read more
When I awoke this morning, like many of you, I found myself genuinely concerned about what is going on in America. The violence, looting, the wanton destruction of life and property are both shocking and unacceptable. Most people are angry with the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a rogue Read more
I recall well my first moments at the Virginia Military Institute. On a blistering August day in 1969, I matriculated as a “Rat”—a freshman in any other college—to begin four years of arduous study and military regime. Cadre Sergeants—those who instructed us on good order and discipline—were our constant “minders”. We didn’t do Read more
Copy Book Warriors, Certain to cause the eyes to roll backwards into some heads is a discussion about the need for virtue to sustain freedom. “I got it,” some might say while politely disengaging. “Of course!” others will assert as they return to daily work. “And your point?” still others might intone. Here’s the Read more