Electing Beaver: The Politics of Place in the Public Square
“The greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world is to see something, and tell what he saw in a plain way...
The Euro: Crisis and Opportunity
The Euro is in trouble, and the news just keeps getting worse. There is now open talk of a post-Euro Europe, and such a...
Occupy Oligarchy!
The “Occupy Wall Street” movement has proved to be significant in its appeal – a majority of Americans support the movement, even though it...
If Not Exceptional, How about Unusual
I am loathe to dissent from Mark Mitchell's thoughtful piece on American exceptionalism, true FroPo that I am. And I could simply add...
Mafia Among the Mountain Folk, Part II
“I don’t care if you bring the president of Peru and a thousand police—we’ll be carried out dead before you dig here!” Thus was...
American Exceptionalism or a Modest Republic?
If you are planning to run for president, here’s a word of advice: you must assert regularly and with great conviction your belief in...
Global Warming, Local Farming, and Naomi Klein: A Trip to the...
Wichita, KS
A couple of weeks ago some fine intellectuals, political figures, journalists, and activists associated with this blog gathered together to talk about localism,...
My Congressionally-Mandated Constitution Day Lecture
Wherein I respond to the federal mandate to "celebrate" Constitution Day. The text is taken from a lecture I gave at Northwood University, co-sponsored...
On Power
Every fall I teach a course called “Democracy.” One of the books we invariably read is On Power: The Natural History of its Growth...
When What We Say in Private Goes Public
All religious groups have their internecine squabbles and the places where such fights take place. They used to be confined to magazines and...