As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the celebrations have been plentiful—parades, flyovers, concerts, and public spectacle. Yet amid the pageantry, something essential is missing: a serious national conversation about the ideas and antecedent principles that shaped our Founding—particularly the role of religion and faith. This omission is not […]
Our politics are no longer arguing over omelets; we are arguing over whether eggs even exist. Until we recover a shared moral and ethical foundation, serious debate in America—and in Idaho—will remain nearly impossible. I owe the simplification of this point to a recent letter to the Wall Street Journal by Mr. Erni Laynez, who […]
It has long seemed to me that American history moves forward in bursts of spirit. Certain generations, or even certain individuals, appear with an inner fire that pulls the country out of stagnation and into a new era. In my own lifetime, the most vivid example is the generation that emerged after World War II. […]
Politics has always been a contact sport. But today the screaming and yelling we see from demonstrators in the streets, pundits in the media, and—most disappointingly—during congressional debate and in courtrooms across the country reflects something deeper than ordinary rough‑and‑tumble. It reveals a collapse of civility and the rise of undisciplined minds that have never […]
The year 2026, this year, marks the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. While the Founding generation sought for and prayed for prosperity and a land of liberty for themselves and their posterity and even understood the scope of what a nation blessed with liberty could accomplish, at least to some degree, they could […]
Several times this week while listening to political pundits on both sides of the spectrum the word “Extremism” or “EXTREMIST” has been used. The Big question for me is who decides what is extreme? King George certainly felt that the Colonial American Patriots were extreme. Members of the Jewish religious hierarchy certainly felt that Jesus […]
After three weeks of deliberation, negotiation, and nominations, in which conservative and moderate candidates were elevated and then rejected, every House Republican voted to elect Mike Johnson of Louisiana as the 56th Speaker of the House on Wednesday afternoon. This is what our republican system of government is supposed to look like. The American people […]
In Recognition of Constitution Day, September 17th Each year on September 17th, we celebrate Constitution Day, which commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution, one of the most important documents in our history. It is unfortunate that in today’s world, most Americans don’t understand or appreciate the significance of this document. They neither understand what […]
Growing up I had trouble learning to write. Dyslexia is a gift and a curse. My Quaker grandmother came to the rescue with a discipline that many people today have never heard about. She gave me a “Copy Book” when I was still in kindergarten and insisted that I write in it every day. My […]
Over the past four years Mr. Ted Weiland has posted behind several of my articles making the point that there is a difference between the American People and the governance system set up by our Founding Fathers. He made such a post last week behind an article in The Gem State Patriot by Bob Shillingstad. […]
Our Constitutional Republic which created the greatest nation in the history of the world is under massive attack. The attack is by Marxists/Socialists secular humanists who are forcing their anti-Christian agenda on America. This in response to Marxist’s Communist Manifesto which stated that religion (the Judeo/Christian religion) was the opiate of the people and must […]
In his famous speech in 1862 at Philadelphia’s National Hall, Frederick Douglas stated, “that nations, not less individuals, are subjects to the moral government of the universe and that. Persistent transgressions of the laws of this Devine (United States) government will certainly bring national sorrow, shame, suffering and death.” C. S. Lewis showed in THE […]