I will begin by offering my interpretation of the problem. In the Declaration, the Continental Congress affirms an account of justice that is grounded in the laws of nature and of nature’s God. The content of that account includes the basic moral principle that all men have an equal right to life, liberty, and the [...]

I think we agree on the most important things: the theological questions and that the natural right doctrine in the Declaration is sound. Our only large point of disagreement is the question of whether that doctrine requires an essentialist account of species. I argue that it does not, for a long list of reasons. The [...]

President Bill Clinton said in his first inaugural address: “Our democracy must be not only the envy of the world but the engine of our own renewal. There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.” This invites the question, what is right with America? As this pertains [...]

Jay, your new book A Nation Forged by Crisis is excellent. It has already been widely reviewed, including in the Wall Street Journal, and it was recently named the best history book of the year by World magazine. More reviews and accolades are sure to follow. I jotted down some notes as I was reading, [...]

I would say that the 2016 election provides a kind of blueprint for the future of the Republican Party, but that it is in need of modification. It is hard not to view it as a kind of blueprint, because it did work: the Party won the presidency and kept control of Congress. On the [...]