Issue 1 will provide a foggy but fascinating window into culture war politics. The initiative, which will be voted on tomorrow by Ohio’s electorate, is technically about the process for amending the state constitution. Practically, Issue 1 is another front in our ever present social conflict. Let’s address both dimensions–the mechanics and the politics–in order. […]

In the case of the Hollywood writers’ strike, who has the moral high ground? Many have seen the consistent refrain that Hollywood executives are taking advantage of poor, overworked writers via streaming culture changes and AI’s rise.* Hollywood studio executives are trying to cut costs to preserve profits in a new and changing environment for […]

From a legal and economic standpoint, I’m relieved the Supreme Court stood firm on executive power. However, a part of me is a bit disappointed that I won’t be receiving “free” money. I want to point out one of the economic problems with a large portion of government: extraction. Many policies are written to take […]

***This review, especially starting in the seventh paragraph, is written for people who have seen the movie, or for those who don’t care about spoilers.*** Asteroid City (2023) bears all the marks of a Wes Anderson film. The compositions are deliberate. The colors are striking. The dialogue is direct and sometimes lacks subtlety. The characters […]

Chief Justice John Roberts penned a historic opinion today, as the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in the context of university admissions policies. “Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it,” wrote Roberts in a sharp 6-3 ruling. His language echoes a previous decision, where the Chief wrote, “The way to stop discrimination on […]

Watching the debt deal play out was not particularly good theater, as each step on the way was perfectly predictable. There was almost never a chance of actual default, and with divided government we were always going to end up with some lukewarm agreement that satisfied almost nobody. But that is the democratic process. Nevertheless, […]

The Gospel gives us the resources to love people who reject both our beliefs and us personally. Christians should think of how God rescued them. He did it not by taking power but by coming to earth, losing glory and power, serving and dying on a cross. How did Jesus save? Not with a sword […]

I love watching a good movie or TV show. While not overly creative myself, I thoroughly enjoy taking in someone else’s work of art to gain a greater understanding of his or her perspective, and these two mediums are amongst my favorite. My wife would readily tell you that I often think deeply about the […]

Gallup polling this week showed that the credibility of the Federal Reserve is down to 36% (those that have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of confidence)–the lowest level since Gallup begin tracking. To be sure, as Gallop notes, this tends to track overall economic performance. And most people are particularly pessimistic about the economy, […]

One of my favorite external groups is the Acton Institute, which explores the intersection of faith and free markets. The faith part is broadly ecumenical, and intentionally international, so it has an interesting set of fellow travelers. I like (and occasionally publish) in their Journal of Markets and Morality. Each summer they host Acton University, […]