The 2016 election was, to state it mildly, a shock to people who believed that Hillary Clinton would easily win and that President Donald Trump had no chance. He won, and Clinton advocates cried foul, citing her popular vote count as greater than Trump’s. It was to no avail. Trump won the Electoral Read more…
In his first inaugural address in 1932, President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” These words were designed as encourage a nation that had been deeply shaken to its roots as a result of the Great Depression. It was an event that was experienced Read more…
There has been much discussion in recent years around the role of judges and justices, particular those on the Supreme Court of the U.S. We are seeing that discussion play out vividly in America even today, much of it partisan in nature. Modern liberals want judges who will be focused on Read more…
When Associate Justice Antonin Scalia sat on the Supreme Court, he advocated for an originalist interpretation of the Constitution based on the words that actually appear in it. He was not a proponent of judicial activism, but rather of judicial constraint. Do the facts of a case comport to the letter Read more…
Last Saturday morning, our yellow Labrador, Sonny the Wonder Dog, went on his last retrieve peacefully at home lying beside me. He had been suffering from severe arthritis in his hind legs and a very bad bowel condition. Through it all, he never whimpered or complained. But I could see in Read more…
There are few judicial principles more vital to the freedom and our republican form of government than this: Jus dicere, et non jus dare, that is “to declare the law, not to make it.” The people who founded America debated this concept. The Federalists wanted a strong national government with three branches: Read more…
I suppose there are few talents as important in life as seeing things clearly. George Washington, while leading the American Army in the Revolution, was particularly gifted at seeing things as they were, not as he wished them to be. He saw the poor state of readiness and discipline in his Army Read more…
This week I had trees on my mind. It’s that time of year when I pick apples, having already enjoyed cherries and peaches that I harvested earlier this summer. Trees are remarkable. But as sturdy as they can eventually become, those we plant for their fruit require much care if they are to Read more…
Recently, I had a discussion with someone about the nature of truth. I contended objective truth is important to distinguish between right and wrong actions. He countered that deciding what is right or wrong was actually engaging in “subjective” truth; that truth, righteousness, and wisdom, are all subjective. Moreover, he argued that “perception” is Read more…
Recently I was thinking about how blessed we are in our modern existence. Like many of you, I’ve travelled throughout Europe. In the process I’ve visited museums and castles where images of past kings, queens, dukes, and duchesses graced the walls. There were also images of common people doing common things, frequently in Read more…