Cincinnatus, Republican Restraint, and the Present Crisis of Civic Virtue What the Society of the Cincinnati can still teach us about maintaining a republic The Society of the Cincinnati was founded in 1783 as the Continental Army disbanded and the United States confronted a problem that has ended many republics: how to end a war without militarizing politics, and how to move from emergency authority back to ordinary constitutional life. The Society’s founding language and symbolism did not celebrate power for its own sake. It elevated a specific moral claim about legitimacy in a republic: …

The Problem of Hypocritical Christians… and Why It Keeps Happening For two thousand years, Christianity has proclaimed a gospel of love, compassion, humility, and care for the poor. Yet just as long, the faith has been shadowed by a noisy faction of adherents who abandon those principles the moment they feel inconvenienced, challenged, or simply entitled. These are the folks who weaponize scripture instead of living it… the ones who preach “family values” while sneering at their neighbor… the ones who claim to follow Christ while embodying everything he warned against.

YouTube video by The Mark Passio Archive

1. How many jobs does a Walmart actually “create”? Per store Walmart itself says the U.S. operation has about 1.6 million workers across 5,206 U.S. retail units (Walmart stores + Sam’s Clubs). That works out to roughly: ~307 workers per retail unit overall, and ~347 workers per Walmart-branded store (if you exclude Sam’s Club). Walmart Corporate News and Information When Walmart announces a new Supercenter, they usually promise “around 300 jobs.” Example: a recent announcement in Texas—three new Supercenters, each expected to create ≈300 hourly jobs. Midland Reporter-Telegram…

Spices Belong on Every Table Here’s the thing: food banks do a lot of good, but they almost never have enough spices. And that’s a shame, because poor people deserve food that tastes good too. When you’re living on donated food or SNAP, you get the basics like beans, rice, pasta, and canned veggies. You can fill your stomach, sure. But without a little garlic powder, chili, or oregano, it’s bland and joyless. And that wears on you after a while. Food is supposed to bring comfort, not just calories.

The Empathetic Skeptic: A Guide to Nuanced Thinking In a world of fast-paced information and polarizing debates, the ability to think well is our most essential skill. True critical thinking is not just about dissecting arguments; it's about blending intellectual rigor with genuine human compassion. This guide explores three powerful practices—understanding fallacies, engaging in 'shadow work,' and embracing nuanced skepticism—to help you become a clearer, more compassionate thinker and communicator. 💡 Sharpen Your Logic: Spotting Fallacies To think more clearly, you must first learn to recognize the flaws in reasoning that can derail a conversation or an internal thought process.

Congress is now shut down indefinitely and Trump has no intention of letting it reopen. Next expect Project 2025 to grip the country in its full horror, heralding the end of democracy.

I recently encountered a viral TikTok rant by a woman named Latasha Mercado, who aggressively questioned SNAP recipients about how they spent their October benefits if they were worried about Novem…

I recently encountered a viral TikTok rant by a woman named Latasha Mercado, who aggressively questioned SNAP recipients about how they spent their October benefits if they were worried about November. While making this snide video, she was eating peanut butter toast. She was essentially insinuating that lower-income people, many of whom are Black women she frequently targets, are mismanaging or wasting their benefits and should have been more frugal. Her attitude was nasty and judgmental, especially considering she claims to be a Christian and supports figures like Charlie Kirk, regularly posting videos about topics such as the Rapture.

The Failure to Think Rationally: How a Culture of Selfishness Undermined Consensus If we are to seriously discuss the election system, we must look beyond the immediate political conflicts and address the fundamental barriers that discourage legitimate participation. I am not focused on the people who claim we need to literally hand-count every ballot; I am focused on deep, structural changes that reflect a genuine commitment to democracy. The Problem of Trust: From Media Hype to Rebranded Voting Tech The current state of our political discourse and election infrastructure offers a stark justification for every reform I am about to propose.

So, about this so-called White House ballroom. Trump claims it’s being funded entirely through private donations, right? Okay… if that’s true, show us the receipts. Show us the accounting led…

The Lie About “Not Touching the White House” Let’s start with the lie. Trump is on record saying the new addition would not touch the White House structure... that it would be a separate building preserving the original architecture. That was false. Construction has already disrupted the grounds and destroyed portions of the East Wing and other historical areas of the original White House building, including a 200 year old historic magnolia tree. He said it wouldn’t. He lied. If he’s willing to lie about something as visible as a construction project on the people’s house, what else is he lying about?

The actions and statements of President Trump often raise questions about his commitment to the "America First" mandate he campaigned on. Recent commentary, particularly regarding Argentina. The contrast is alarming: Trump displays greater emotional commitment to Argentina's suffering than to the immediate crisis of U.S. citizens losing their healthcare. SEE this response: Where Does the Empathy Lie? The contrast is stark: When the President appears to express deep, visible emotion concerning suffering in countries like Argentina, it raises a challenging question for many Americans: Why doesn't that same level of visible concern translate to the citizens of the United States who are genuinely struggling?

Thousands of private messages reveal young GOP leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery and rape.

The recent response by GOP leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, to upcoming national protests—such as the "No Kings" rallies—has laid bare a disturbing and increasingly toxic strategy in American politics. By baselessly dismissing these peaceful, anti-authoritarian demonstrations as "Hate America Rallies" organized by "terrorists," "Antifa," and "Marxists," Republican figures are not just criticizing opponents; they are actively demonizing a significant portion of the American public. This approach, as highlighted by a recent piece on Common Dreams, relies on an inflammatory rhetoric that grossly mischaracterizes the Left and tears down any rational opportunity for healthy debate.

I was scanning through some family files and came across this written address from my late stepfather, Edwin F. Kagin Jr., for a memorial service on April 7th, during his time in Parsons, Kansas. My stepfather was a brilliant defense lawyer who devoted much of the later part of his life to issues of Church and State separation. He served as the National Legal Director of American Atheists and cared deeply about justice and constitutional rights. He died in 2014 at the age of 73—far too soon. I thought I would share this JPG copy of the document, especially in contrast to the world we live in today.

Twenty years after the end of WWI in which the nation of Tomainia was on the losing side, Adenoid Hynkel has risen to power as the ruthless dictator of the country. He believes in a pure Aryan state, and the decimation of the Jews. This situation is unknown to a simple Jewish-Tomainian barber who has since been hospitalized the result of a WWI battle