The State of the Union address is a constitutional requirement… Article 1; Section 3- He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient… The speech varies from executive monotony to… rousing patriotic oratory. LincolnContinue reading “Constitutional Spectacle”
Monthly Archives: January 2019
Hamilton- The National Bank
Hamilton noted in 1790- “Industry is increased, commodities are multiplied, agriculture and manufacturers flourish: and herein consists the true wealth and prosperity of a state.” “The tendency of a national bank is to increase public and private credit. The former gives power to the state for the protection of its rights and interests, and theContinue reading “Hamilton- The National Bank”
Four and Half Decades of Reading
Birthdays often lead to reflection… 45 years have passed and reflection reveals a life devoted to the study of history. A career in education has shown how rare academic commitment can be…. all I have ever wanted to do is history. These books inspired, taught, and frustrated me along the journey. .. American Heritage HistoryContinue reading “Four and Half Decades of Reading”
The Best Biographies of Bill Clinton
Originally posted on My Journey Through the Best Presidential Biographies:
From my very first impression of Bill Clinton to my most recent he has always struck me as the quintessential politician – for better and for worse. But that – as JFK, LBJ, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and others have proven – can be the…
Understanding Calvin Coolidge
Originally posted on Presidential History Blog:
Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge was the quintessential New Englander: quiet, determined, and living a well ordered life. Meet Calvin Coolidge: The Man Behind the Myth In 1960, more than 25 years after Coolidge’s death, a small volume of essays about him was collected by Edward Connery Lathem. Long out…
Frontier Feud
Searching for the causes of the War of 1812… will invariably lead to the Indiana frontier. William Henry Harrison was granted power by President Thomas Jefferson to negotiate with the Indian nations (13 treaties and over 1 million acres.) Harrison orchestrated the Treaty of Ft. Wayne in 1809, granting US settlers unlimited access toContinue reading “Frontier Feud”
Movie Review: Denial-2016
“Denial” 2016- Directed by Mick Jackson. Krasnoff/Foster Entertainment. Director Mick Jackson and star Rachel Weisz do their best to dramatize the libel suit brought by discredited historian, David Iriving, against American scholar Deborah Lipstadt. British law places the burden of proof upon defendants in libel cases, thus awarding Lipstadt (Weisz) and her lawyers, played byContinue reading “Movie Review: Denial-2016”
Jacksonian Errors
Proponents of Andrew Jackson’s policies cite his… veto of the rechartering of the Second National Bank as a victory for the ‘little guy.’ Old Hickory was defending the interests of States and the common man against the wicked monopoly held by the ‘monstrous’ bank. A closer examination of his storied veto message reveals inconsistencies inContinue reading “Jacksonian Errors”
Religious Freedom Within Reason
Thomas Jefferson was the author of religious freedom in America… as the First Amendment borrows its language from his Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom. Like all men of the Enlightenment, Jefferson believed it was built upon the individual. The individual was born free to worship, or not, in anyway he saw fit. “…nor shall otherwiseContinue reading “Religious Freedom Within Reason”
The Best Biographies of Ronald Reagan
Originally posted on My Journey Through the Best Presidential Biographies:
A good rule-of-thumb suggests that 25-30 years are required before sufficient time and historical distance have passed to take the true measure of a presidency. By that standard, Ronald Reagan may be the most recent president whose tenure we can objectively assess. And while I’ve…
