In the 2016 presidential election cycle, no single group, not even President Obama, has been the object of more contempt than “the establishment.” Nearly every candidate of both parties has attacked his or her rivals for supposedly belonging to the “establishment” while vehemently denying ever having belonged to it themselves. Large numbers … Read more
Listening to the rhetoric in the present political cycle, there seems to be a missing word. It is not “angst” or “frustration,” neither “equality” nor “jobs” or even the latest buzzword, “establishment.” All these words are thrown around in the present debate. Being true politicians, candidates pepper their speeches with them, while … Read more
As the anniversary of Roe v. Wade approaches on January 22, those who have long fought the important battle against abortion know that it is not only this issue that must be protested. Connected to abortion is a web of other nefarious practices that make up what has been aptly called the … Read more
There is a social media app popular on campuses nationwide called Yik-Yak. The way it works is that short Twitter-like messages (yaks) can be posted anonymously within a short-radius area. The best yaks are then voted up or down a list by those within a given place. All these short messages, however, … Read more
Libertarians support the idea that a government’s only purpose is to protect life, liberty and private property. One way this is done is through an idea they call self-ownership. This is the notion that each individual owns himself, just like one who owns a piece of property. Thus, the government should have … Read more
If the pace of life seems overwhelming, it might well be because we have assumed so many of the jobs once held by others. This is the position of Craig Lambert in his book, Shadow Work: The Unpaid, Unseen Jobs That Fill Your Day (Berkeley, Calif., Counterpoint Press, 2015). The Harvard sociologist … Read more
Many conservatives are facing the brutal reality of a culture that undermines their Faith and destroys their values. Not a few have made the logical comparison to the Christians facing both the Roman Empire’s decadent “establishment” and the ruthlessly aggressive ways of the barbarians who threatened to destroy what remained of civilization. … Read more
Scratch the soul of many a conservative and beneath you will find a villager. Something is there that attracts these Americans to more natural and simpler lifestyles. Perhaps it is because organic and authentic things appear restful and reassuring in a world of uncertainties and anxieties. However, what makes the organic option … Read more
I recently had the opportunity to guest lecture for an American Government class at a private Midwestern college. My friend who teaches the class invited me to share some insights about political theory. While I have taught classes to select groups of motivated students, I was ill prepared for the harrowing experience … Read more
Near the bustling industrial city of Tieling in northeastern China, there is a brand new city some 6 miles down the road called Tieling New City. The place has everything going for it. Visitors will find excellent infrastructure, government offices, schools, shopping centers and apartment complexes. Land and labor costs are significantly … Read more