by jpitney | Feb 13, 2025 | civic virtue
George Thomas at The Atlantic: The founding generation’s fear of demagogues is well known. Alexander Hamilton insisted on the problem in Federalist No. 1: “Of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by...
by jpitney | Jan 8, 2025 | civic virtue, Congress, Deliberation, Elections, House of Representatives, Transparency, Volunteering
Philip Wallach at AEI: As it scrambled to pass a continuing resolution and avoid a government shutdown at the end of 2024, the 118th Congress ended much as it began—with serious doubts as to whether America’s legislature can rise to the level of bare competence. The...
by jpitney | Aug 26, 2024 | Civic Education, civic virtue, Constitution, Separation of Powers
Frederick M. Hess at AEI: Self-government depends on our accepting electoral outcomes or court decisions even when we disagree vehemently with the result. It depends on presidents and voters understanding that the executive branch isn’t empowered to spend billions of...
by jpitney | Aug 11, 2024 | Civic Education, civic virtue, Civility, Higher Education
Former Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM) — now president of the University of Texas at El Paso — writes at The Austin American-Statesman: Universities should do more to restore the institutions that matter most by encouraging and requiring students to serve...
by jpitney | Jul 28, 2024 | civic virtue, Declaration of Independence
Jessica Gavora at The Atlantic: The notion that America is an idea has always lifted up our country, and for good reason. The fact that America was founded on the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the governing limits of the Constitution makes us...
by jpitney | Jul 27, 2024 | Appropriations, civic virtue, Congress, House of Representatives
David Dreier and David Price at Newsweek: As millions of Americans emerge from the damage and devastation inflicted by Hurricane Beryl, which lashed the Texas Gulf Coast this month with terrifying winds and torrential rains, Congress is considering gutting one of the...
