Election 2028

Is Corporate America Selfish? A Reflection on Capitalism and Self-Control In today’s fast-paced world, the question of selfishness in corporate America looms large. Is capitalism inherently self-centered, or is there a path to balance profit with purpose? This blog post explores selfishness through the lens of Jesus Christ’s parable of the sower in Matthew 13:18-23, focusing on the seed that falls on rocky soil. This parable highlights three sins Christians must avoid: unbelief, selfishness, and worldliness. Here, we’ll examine how the rocky soil represents selfishness and how it manifests in corporate America today. The Parable and Selfishness In the parable, the seed on rocky soil represents someone who receives the gospel with joy but falls away when trials arise. This person’s initial enthusiasm often stems from self-interest, seeking personal gain rather than embracing the gospel’s transformative power. Such opportunism mirrors selfishness, where individuals exploit gifts for imme...

Addressing the 2025 Federal Deficit: Austerity Measures in the Wake of the One Big Beautiful Bill The Trump Administration’s "One Big Beautiful Bill" (H.R. 1), signed into law on July 4, 2025, has significantly altered the fiscal landscape. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the bill will increase the federal deficit by $142 billion in 2025 alone. This figure is derived from the CBO’s projections for the House-passed version, adjusted by 42% to account for differences in the Senate-passed bill, though it does not include tariff offsets that reportedly reduced this impact to zero last month. However, the sustainability of using tariffs to offset deficits raises concerns about long-term economic consequences. Below, I outline the implications of this strategy, propose politically viable austerity measures to reduce the 2025 deficit, and address the political dynamics shaping these decisions. The Deficit Impact of H.R. 1 and Tariff Strategy The CBO projects tha...

I recently watched an episode of Meet the Press that addressed the growing epidemic of loneliness among young people in America. As various doctors, professors, and psychologists weighed in, I noticed a key element missing from their analysis. While many pointed to social media as the primary culprit, I believe Arthur Brooks—referred to as the “happiness doctor”—came closest to identifying the root issue. Brooks explained that happiness is built on three essential “moorings”: Enjoyment Satisfaction Meaning He argued that today’s youth are largely missing the third component— meaning . According to Brooks, young people must be engaged in a mission or cause that transcends themselves. His prescription for the loneliness epidemic is to invest in relationships through groups that encourage meaningful conversations and shared activities. While the professionals on the show agreed that social media plays a significant role—particularly through the negative spiral of constant comparison—they...

Populism and the Presidency Donald Trump is a populist president. This is not the first time that populism has made an impact on our politics. In 1896, William Jennings Bryan delivered his famous 'Cross of Gold' speech at the Democratic Convention in Chicago. In this speech, Bryan used a cross of gold as a metaphor for the nation being crucified by the gold standard. He proclaimed, "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold." Bryan was particularly popular in labor and farming regions, as farmers struggled to secure credit under the gold standard. Bryan advocated expanding the standard to include silver, making credit more accessible. Notably, while this speech secured Bryan the Democratic nomination for the presidency, he lost to McKinley in the general election. Interestingly, this is the same President McKinley with whom Donald Trump has drawn comparisons.  In my opinion Mckinnly was pus...

DOGE (The Good), Tariffs (The Bad), and Uncertainty (The Ugly) This post evaluates the first 100 days of the Trump Administration, focusing on three major themes: DOGE (the good), tariffs (the bad), and uncertainty (the ugly). Draining the swamp of waste and reforming bureaucratic red tape is long overdue. Broad, unfocused tariffs are harmful, especially when targeted tariffs or excise taxes would be a better alternative. And uncertainty—especially in markets and international trade—is always ugly. The Good: DOGE and Bureaucratic Reform Let’s start with the so-called “fourth branch” of government—the federal bureaucracy. According to the Constitution, only three branches of government exist. Yet, in practice, the bureaucracy operates as a powerful, unelected force shaping public policy. When I taught AP Government, I was struck by how much of the curriculum focused on departments created to execute legislation under presidential direction. It felt like a massive expansion of executive ...

I watched Donald Trump and Elon Musk's press conference today, and it was refreshing to hear Elon address one of the most pressing issues of our time. He was unafraid to discuss the federal deficit and its potential to bankrupt our democracy. Elon has been commissioned to identify and expose waste and inefficiency within the federal government. Estimates suggest that as much as $1 trillion is wasted due to government bureaucracy. If the newly established DOGE organization can help save this money by advocating for efficiency, then I fully support its mission. How did our bureaucracy become so bloated? Elon explained that government spending is often not allocated to specific budget categories. However, he did not elaborate on the reasoning behind this practice. The nature of American politics naturally leads to waste. To navigate the political landscape, politicians frequently grant favors in exchange for legislative support. These concessions often involve unnecessary expenditures...