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The good and the bad of the common good

For the second time in the Trump presidency, the Right is debating the concept of the common good and how that concept fits within the American political tradition. During Donald Trump's first term, the "common good" debate raged because the unorthodox president's nationalist instincts and policy prescriptions on issues such as trade and immigration clashed with the more globalist preferences of the Republican Party establishment. The debate is now raging once again, it seems, because JD Vance, the odds-on favorite to become the 2028 GOP presidential nominee, is seen as sympathetic to ...

The good things we have come from God

One of my favorite things to do in life is to hike, but there’s a caveat to that. There has to be something worth seeing for it to be a worthwhile hike. So, if you can hike along a beautiful river, a lake, or an overlook, I’m in. My absolute favorite type of hike though is one that leads ...

Making my bed isn’t about productivity. It’s about kindness

While visiting my mom, my son asked, "Why do I have to make my bed at Grandma's house?" I smoothed the quilt over the mattress and answered without thinking, "Because Grandma likes it neat and she deserves a nice space." My response surprised me. What did being tidy have to do with ...

Banding together for hope: Alpena rallies around one of Its own

Some battles are fought quietly. They are fought in hospital rooms, during long drives to appointments, in sleepless nights, and in moments when families choose hope over fear. Today, one of those battles belongs to Mark Nowak, a proud 1978 graduate of Alpena High School, husband, father, ...

DSA says it can cure all

The Michigan primary election is over. I hope you took the time to vote, either in person or by mail. Voting is more than just a right or privilege, it’s a responsibility granted to us by our Founders who intended for, "We the People of the United States” to govern ourselves. The way we do ...

Family should never become a political battleground

There are some disputes that belong in a courtroom. Others belong around a family table. Very few belong in the court of public opinion. When family conflicts involving public figures spill into headlines, cable television and social media, the public often assumes it is witnessing a search ...