On June 28, 1813, John Adams wrote this letter to Thomas Jefferson. “The general principles, on which the Fathers achieved independence, were the only principles in which that beautiful assembly of ...

In The Constitution of Liberty, free-market economist and social philosopher F.A. Hayek, quotes in a footnote the famous nineteenth-century scientist Louis Pasteur: “In research, chance only helps ...

Last year, and in 2017, I put up posts about the universalist principles of the Declaration of Independence, and their continuing relevance today. The points made are no less relevant this year. So, ...

Slavery—a prevalent force in early American ideas. How did the idea of slave holding intersect with the evolving principles of liberty? Rick and Luke dive into the case study of the Constitution of ...

Last week I discussed some general principles of liberty, and why liberty brings prosperity. But what specific things should government officials do to bring liberty back to New Jersey? Why not start ...

“The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man, if he has not formed any idea of them already. But the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man, if he ...

Richard Brookhiser reveals how the Jamestown Colony became the base of self-governance. Historian Richard Brookhiser joins constitutional scholar Luke Thompson to examine thirteen historical documents ...

In a recent New York Times article, the great Harvard law Professor Cass Sunstein outlines a set of 34 liberal principles he believes can command agreement across the liberal tradition. While Sunstein ...

Having recently reached 74 years of age, if one were to ask me what’s my greatest disappointment in life, a top contender would surely be the level of misunderstanding, perhaps contempt, that black ...

A review of the past four years under the leadership of President Joe Biden reveals continual assaults on religious freedom and conscience rights. From attacks on foster parents of faith to attempts ...

The "Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture" were proclaimed by President Kennedy on May 23, 1962. They called for a design "which is distinguished and which will reflect the dignity, enterprise, ...