The Wisdom of Father James Schall

Ken Masugi once again shares with us this Advent. A taste: What America has learned at its best is how to create a city for mortal men while recognizing their passing thorough this world. It does not offer a this-worldly heaven but simply a way to rule themselves, provide for families, a sense of . . . . Continue Reading »

My Book and Chinese Straussianism

1. My MODERN AND AMERICAN DIGNITY is now available for immediate delivery on AMAZON. The great news is that if you—like ME—have AMAZON PRIME, there’s still plenty of time to get copies for Christmas giving. 2. I’m sure everyone has read the article in THE NEW REPUBLIC by . . . . Continue Reading »

TEA PARTY RADIO and ME

Here’s my story of my appearance on local TEA PARTY radio. Why is it on BIG THINK? Well, they young guys who run BIG THINK (with, I hope, good reason) think of themselves as something akin to the founders of GOOGLE or YOUTUBE. They flattered me by saying I’m that rare (because . . . . Continue Reading »

Judicial Review and Obamacare

Pistol Pete explains that if only the mandate is unconstitutional from a judicial view, Obamacare actually becomes worse. The point of the mandate is to keep people from avoiding insurance payments untill they actually get some troubling symptoms. They can never be turned down under the . . . . Continue Reading »

Random Observations

1. Ralph’s book (see below) is really great. He reconciles philosophy and moral responsibility on the deepest level, but without getting all Kantian on us. 2. Because I’m known for liking compromises, why don’t I like the current one between Congress and the president (that may be . . . . Continue Reading »

Propadeutic to a Thumotic and Erotic Ontology

[The following is the preface to my forthcoming The Responsibility of Reason: Theory and Practice in a Liberal-Democratic Age (Rowman & Littlefield)] Propadeutic to a Thumotic and Erotic Ontology. This is the fanciful and facetious subtitle I used to try out on friends when asked about the book . . . . Continue Reading »

Socialist Monarchism?

1. That’s basically the charge against our friends THE PORCHERS leveled by Mr. Cheeks below. It’s surely a bad sign that our friend Caleb from Kansas (who was one of my two favorite Porchers) has left the Porch. The charge, as I see it, amount to this: They’re not really talking . . . . Continue Reading »