Opinion

Let's live up to what the Founding Fathers wanted

As our country celebrates not just any Independence Day, but the 250th anniversary of one of the boldest declarations in human history, the festivities give us an excellent opportunity to look back on two-and-a-half centuries of this American experiment and check ourselves against what the founders hoped they were setting in motion. Draped in red, white and blue and surrounded by flags and fireworks, it is easy to forget how we got here and why we are free to celebrate as flamboyantly as we’d like. Richard Henry Lee made the motion to declare independence in June 1776, but ...

The battle to establish, and keep, our country

As we move through this weekend full of fireworks, parades, food and the battle over political ideologies, let’s not forget what July 4 means. It was 250 years ago that a group of men representing the 13 American colonies agreed to declare their independence from the British Empire. On July 2, 1776, members of the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, with the finalized draft of the Declaration of Independence adopted (not signed) two days later. It was never an easy decision. Members of the Continental Congress did not go to Philadelphia with the goal of issuing ...

A relaunch of public art in the Ohio Valley

A couple of months ago, I wrote about the encouragement to install murals throughout West Virginia as part of the state’s America 250 observances, with the Department of Tourism providing each county with $5,000 toward such projects. Hancock and Brooke counties jumped right on the program, with one piece of artwork created and installed on the wall at Blue Cat Coffee along Main Street in Weirton, to represent Hancock County, and another along Charles Street in Wellsburg to represent Brooke County. To see these pieces of art be developed and go up was an exciting experience, but ...

World Cup Visitors Get It; The Pope and Socialists Don't

Several things have taken place over the past week that shore up the importance of understanding what has truly made the United States of America the most prosperous country in human history. First, we have the foreigners visiting the U.S. to cheer on their teams in this year's World Cup soccer championship. As I wrote last week, it's been heartwarming to see how much these people love America, and how surprised they've been to find that Americans are warm, welcoming, generous and kind people. Another aspect of America that has astonished our guests is the number, size and variety of ...

War and Constitutional Indifference

Since its inception, the government of the United States has inexorably exceeded its powers under the Constitution. All three branches have been complicit in a consistent pattern of constitutional indifference. Congress has regulated in areas of governance nowhere articulated in the Constitution. Its general regulatory powers were granted to address interstate commerce, but during the FDR years, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress can regulate events that affect interstate commerce. This has resulted in federal regulation of matters too infinitesimal to measure, that are not ...

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