Free people live together in a civil society, and run their own governments together, respecting one another’s personal choices. For too long, we have taken democracy for granted:  schools and families haven’t taught their children enough civics; people have acted like voting, schooling, good jobs, and jury service are burdens; and we have become more focused on the petty opportunities of taking advantage of one another, than the historic progress allowed by cooperating with and respecting one another. 

How important are democracy and free markets?  The single most-important factor in determining the quality of a person’s life in the world today, is what country they live in.  Standing up for our own democracy and economy–not by becoming celebrities or superheroes, but by voting and living our own lives well–is the most important thing we can do, in America and in every other country of the world.

This blog is dedicated to the proposition your deepest instincts are correct, and the basics are always the most important lessons to keep in mind.  Fighting, stealing, lying, bullying, threatening, acting out, burying your head in the sand, and preying on one another are foolish and wicked.  The world is full of failed, corrupt, and oppressive states with impoverished and diminished people, proving this over and over.  Learning, discussing, compromising, working hard, working together, caring for others, and respecting one another are the way.  Yet we can struggle to remember how blessed we all are by the freedom and security constitutional democracies allow us to enjoy every single day.  We are all capable of doing much better.  We can and must exercise our reason, conscience, attention, and agency to insist that our country be sensibly managed, and none of us have reason to fear one another.  It’s time for all of us to get serious again about freedom, prosperity, and democracy.