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Why a President Cannot Whip Inflation
Review and Reflection, Featured Richard Gunderman 9/26/24 Review and Reflection, Featured Richard Gunderman 9/26/24

Why a President Cannot Whip Inflation

One of the greatest challenges facing the administration of US President Gerald Ford when he assumed office in 1974 was the poor state of the US economy, which was suffering from a condition dubbed stagflation – stagnation and inflation.

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September 17th at the Convention
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 9/19/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 9/19/24

September 17th at the Convention

The main source we have for information on the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention, occurring in the summer of 1787, is James Madison’s notes on the convention.

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On Empathy
Review and Reflection, Ford Fellow Marlie McDonald 9/12/24 Review and Reflection, Ford Fellow Marlie McDonald 9/12/24

On Empathy

I have spent weeks trying to write something arguing that empathy is the answer to everything…

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Abraham Lincoln and the Long Arc of History
Review and Reflection Carl Cannon 8/22/24 Review and Reflection Carl Cannon 8/22/24

Abraham Lincoln and the Long Arc of History

Today is the birthday of Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd U.S. president and the only president ever elected from the state of Indiana, which is not far from where I’m writing this morning.

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What Made Gerald Ford a Good President?
Review and Reflection Gleaves Whitney 8/15/24 Review and Reflection Gleaves Whitney 8/15/24

What Made Gerald Ford a Good President?

From August 6-9, the Ford celebrated the 50th anniversary of Gerald and Betty Ford becoming president and first lady of the United States.

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Gerald Ford: The Indispensable Statesman for a Fractured Nation
Review and Reflection Gleaves Whitney 8/8/24 Review and Reflection Gleaves Whitney 8/8/24

Gerald Ford: The Indispensable Statesman for a Fractured Nation

This Friday, August 9, marks the 50th anniversary of Gerald Ford's swearing-in as the 38th President of the United States.

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The Fly in the Ointment
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 8/1/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 8/1/24

The Fly in the Ointment

Some years ago I attended a conference that brought together political practitioners and academics to see what we could learn from one another’s work.

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Democratic Abstractions
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 7/25/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 7/25/24

Democratic Abstractions

A recent essay over at Quillette observed that "The near assassination of Donald Trump was a brazen attack on democracy."

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Violence and The Presidency
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 7/18/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 7/18/24

Violence and The Presidency

Our policy for this “forum” is to avoid culture war issues, partisanship, and ripped-from-the-headlines breathless reporting.

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The Impeachment Power
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 7/11/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 7/11/24

The Impeachment Power

As we head deeper into this troublesome election season, we can’t help but notice the paradox that voters are discontented with the two candidates for president that they themselves have chosen.

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The Pursuit of Happiness
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 7/4/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 7/4/24

The Pursuit of Happiness

“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The substitution of “the pursuit of happiness” for “property” in this famous triumvirate may be simultaneously the most inspiring and most troubling rhetorical move in American history.

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The State of the University
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 6/27/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 6/27/24

The State of the University

One of the more interesting developments of the last five years (or so) has been the creation of independent content delivery systems that allow authors to bypass corporate control of news and information.

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Forty-Nine Ways To Fix the World (Hint: Start Locally)
Review and Reflection Timothy Kilbourn 6/20/24 Review and Reflection Timothy Kilbourn 6/20/24

Forty-Nine Ways To Fix the World (Hint: Start Locally)

Crisis at the border. You fear the other guy will win the November election.

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Remembering Dwight David Eisenhower, Part 2: The Presidential Years
Heritage, Review and Reflection, Featured Phillip G. Henderson 6/13/24 Heritage, Review and Reflection, Featured Phillip G. Henderson 6/13/24

Remembering Dwight David Eisenhower, Part 2: The Presidential Years

Dwight David Eisenhower was known as a man of dispassionate and independent judgment.

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Symbols and American Politics
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 6/13/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 6/13/24

Symbols and American Politics

Tomorrow, June 14th, is Flag Day. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States by the Second Continental Congress in 1777.

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Eisenhower's Farewell Address
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 6/6/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 6/6/24

Eisenhower's Farewell Address

We’ve argued repeatedly in this space that part of Washington’s greatness as president was his willingness to walk away from power, even in circumstances where the opportunity to expand power was handed to him.

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On Courage
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 6/6/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 6/6/24

On Courage

In my essay last week I talked about my ambivalent reaction to the movie Saving Private Ryan. Although visually powerful, I found the story full of holes and the overall moral framework poorly constructed.

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The Art of War
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 5/30/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 5/30/24

The Art of War

On this Memorial Day we take some time to reflect on books and movies that can help us better understand the experiences of soldiers at war.

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Stuck in the Middle With You
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 5/23/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 5/23/24

Stuck in the Middle With You

Being in the middle has a bad reputation. Middle children often seem willful and resentful.

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The Cynic and the Emperor
Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 5/2/24 Review and Reflection Jeff Polet 5/2/24

The Cynic and the Emperor

My field of political philosophy contains an inherent contradiction since a philosophical disposition often eschews too close an engagement with the powers and principalities of this world.

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