Commentary by The Vino & Veritas Society
Professional observations, research, & analyses from our Guardians on timely topics of public conversation as well as timeless principles and ideas.
Government debt in the United States—municipal, county, state and federal combined—has swelled to a whopping $30 trillion. If you're reading this on a smartphone, you might need to turn your device sideways so you can see what that looks like written out:
$30,000,000,000,000.00
Clearly, members of the political class are eager to keep spending us into more and more debt. The question is, what do they have to show for all the spending? What have we to show for it?
For us, the ...
DR. THOMAS KRANNAWITTER, CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER
Each Thanksgiving holiday is a reminder of that famous first thanksgiving feast, in the Fall of 1621, in Plymouth, most about which we know comes from the letter of one man, Edward Winslow.
Though it sounds strange, the failures of the first Pilgrim (and later Puritan) colonists might be more important, for us today, than their successes.
The many failures, challenges, and setbacks endured by those early pioneering colonists offer important lessons from which we, today, can learn much if
DR. THOMAS KRANNAWITTER, CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER
Lincoln’s speech was part of a ceremony dedicating a cemetery created to bury the many dead following the horrific Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863). In only three days of fighting, the Union and Confederate forces combined suffered a staggering 50,000 casualties.
Below are some reflections on Lincoln’s Address at Gettysburg, in no particular order.
ANCIENT AND SACRED
There is a tradition of dedicating cemeteries, the most sacred and holy of any ground in most cities, dating back to
DR. THOMAS KRANNAWITTER, CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER
As a citizen, a researcher and a teacher, I teach others one of the most important ideas ever discovered by the human mind: the natural liberty of the individual human being. That idea is why I cannot vote for Joe Biden.
From my studies of history and human nature, I know better than to expect utopia on Earth. Dreams of utopia end in tyranny. I know that when well-dressed, well-spoken demagogues promise free things, perfect safety and a veritable Garden of Eden in exchange for total
DR. THOMAS KRANNAWITTER, CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER
By Thomas L. Krannawitter, Ph.D.
In July, Bernie Sanders said Joe Biden will be “the most progressive president since FDR.” Few people noticed.
Conservatives get riled when they hear “socialism.” Mention “progressivism” and they yawn.
Within the Democratic Party, there’s a fight over whose lead to follow: Overt radicals like Bernie, AOC, and lock-’em-up Kamala Harris? Or soft-spoken career cronies like Joe Biden?
Regardless, all Democrats agree that theirs is the party of ...
DR. THOMAS KRANNAWITTER, CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER
The current attention on Supreme Court nominees and justices—between Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation hearing and some Democrats' threatening an FDR-style court-packing plan—raises an important question: What virtues should citizens demand from those who would sit on the nation's highest Court?
Three characteristics are indispensable, if constitutional government is to survive in the United States: Deep understanding of the design, purpose and actual words of the Constitution; admiration
DR. THOMAS KRANNAWITTER, CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER