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 | Dec 8, 2024 | Civility, Debate, Uncategorized
At WP, Alexandra Hudson tells how Adams and Jefferson revived their friendship after their bitter break: Adams made the first move. On New Year’s Day 1812, he gifted Jefferson two pieces of “homespun,” or handmade fabric, as a token of goodwill, along with a brief...
by jpitney | Jul 4, 2024 | Patriotism, Reagan
President Reagan, July 4, 1986: All through our history, our Presidents and leaders have spoken of national unity and warned us that the real obstacle to moving forward the boundaries of freedom, the only permanent danger to the hope that is America, comes from...
by jpitney | Jan 6, 2023 | Democracy
During the speakership debate today, Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado quoted John Adams: We may please ourselves with the prospect of free and popular Governments. But there is great Danger, that those Governments will not make us happy. God grant they may. But I fear,...
