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Birthright citizenship not just for immigrants

Now that we’ve completed our celebration of America’s 250th birthday, it’s time to prepare for the 300th -- the tricentennial. I will not live to see it, but I hope the nation will. At least, I hope a certain kind of America will celebrate its 300th year -- one that has regained its moral equilibrium and turned its back resoundingly on illiberalism in all its ugly forms. If the United States does not reverse its current retreat from the principles and traditions that ennobled it, if it becomes the kind of predatory, grubby and aggressive nation that Donald Trump champions, or if ...

Who remembers Oliver Anthony?

I still listen to Oliver Anthony. He was the rednecky guy who played guitar outdoors with bugs and dogs. His songs are mournful and angry, lamenting his struggles with addiction, his poverty and the changes in America. In his song “Rich Men North of Richmond,” welfare queens on one side and a Washington elite on the other were wasting his life. The song became what Fox News called “The Conservative National Anthem.” Biden was president then. They even played of bit of it at the first Republican debates in August of 2023. The politicians appeared a bit mystified when asked to ...

Examining the lore of antisemitism

Essayists and a variety of writers are puzzling over the incredibly rapid rise in antisemitism, frequently, but not always, cloaked as anti-Israelism. “What is going on,” they wonder almost out loud? Bill Maher seems to be the only cultural icon speaking out against the plague of bigotry which is endemic to both the leftwing of the Democratic party and the rightwing of the Republican. The plague does not begin and end with non-Jews either. Even one with a strong constitution should be sick to the stomach to see a podium with Bernie Sanders and a few of his Jewish lap dogs ...

Camping a story worth telling to America

Big names are representing our commonwealth at the Great American State Fair in Washington, DC. Well-known Pennsylvania staples such as Crayola, Middlesworth…and Camp Susque? Why does a small Christian summer camp get to represent Pennsylvania along with heavy-hitters from our agriculture, energy, or even snack industries? The fair, running June 25-July 10, 2026, is an opportunity for our state to showcase our contribution to our collective national identity. While Camp Susque might be a small, rural, and non-profit organization, camping plays a crucial role in our state’s ...

Democratic lawmakers on wrong side of school choice

Democratic lawmakers — specifically, Gov. Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania House Democrats — are feeling the heat after waging a losing battle on an issue that is near and dear to so many Pennsylvanians: educational choice. Their recent legislative attack, which would have taken away thousands of scholarships from Pennsylvania students, reveals how out of touch these lawmakers are on the issue. The numbers alone speak for themselves: Pennsylvanians want more educational options. New polling by the Commonwealth Foundation shows that a supermajority of Pennsylvanians oppose cuts to the ...

What is the Declaration of Independence?

I frequently answer constitutional questions from individuals who want to know more about the relationship between the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Most of them understand that the Constitution is a statement of positive law—that is, man-made law—but they ask whether the Declaration is law as well. During the 18th century, an official declaration was an announcement of a particular event, often after the event had occurred. In addition to the announcement, a declaration might explain the event or justify action being taken. For example, in cases of offensive ...