Alien Enemies Act

Every day in my American Civ class I begin the morning asking if anyone has any questions, not just about what we studied the day before, but about what is going on in the world. I believe the purpose of this class is to study the past to explain the present. Some classes are better … Continue reading Alien Enemies Act →

Reviewing Tony Horwitz’s ‘Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War’

From Southwest Ledger Possibly the most misunderstood and controversial character of the Civil War is John Brown. As a child growing up in Virginia, I was taught that Brown was the enemy; a religious fanatic who was bent on violence to stop Virginia’s way of life by any means necessary. It was almost the same … Continue reading Reviewing Tony Horwitz’s ‘Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War’ →

Will America’s Foreign Policy Remain Cyclical Under Trump 2.0?

From Southwest Ledger Possibly the biggest story of the past week is our involvement with Ukraine. Most Americans’ opinion of President Trump’s handling of the situation probably has as much to do with their opinion of foreign assistance as it does with the way Trump handled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In weighing in on this … Continue reading Will America’s Foreign Policy Remain Cyclical Under Trump 2.0? →

Remembering Gene Hackman

With the sad and tragic story emerging of how Gene Hackman died, it is worth taking a moment to remember the joy he brought the world. To make one or two really good movies is rare, but to make as many as Hackman did is special especially when one of them is so iconic. Of … Continue reading Remembering Gene Hackman →

Constitution 101: Senate Leadership Clauses

From Southwest Ledger Have you ever considered what the vice president does all day? My guess is probably not, but the framers of Constitution did. When they got to the point where they considered a vice president, his only role was as a backup president — a spare, so to speak.Originally, he had no actual … Continue reading Constitution 101: Senate Leadership Clauses →