"In a democracy, every citizen ‘holds office.' We, the people, are the boss, and we will get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve." --John F. Kennedy...

The end of every year is always a time for reflection, especially with a shiny object like a national election to use as mirror. What do we see about ourselves as we head into a new year, soon to be joined by a new administration?...

A country riven by divisions showed a surprising degree of convergence in the most recent election, but with the end result literally no more "decisive" than a 23-22 football game, it's clear we're a long way from a mandate to move forward as a nation...

One definition of a bridge is a structure that provides a path over an obstacle.  Another is a means for bringing people together.   In these divisive times, there is a need for bridge builders--not barrier creators...

With early voting just around the corner all over the country, the latest "most important election in our lifetime" is upon us. We have the opportunity to make it the last one we call this for a while...

Our Founders were willing to give their lives for the pursuit of happiness, yet for the first time, this year the U.S. did not rank in the top 20 happiest countries.  But it should be noted: the happiness report was published in March...

For decades, the study of economic development was a sleepy one, at least when it came to its fundamentals. Today, crises may have created the mother of all pivot points, with all 360 degrees potentially available...

The Founders feared them, and record numbers of Americans have declared independence from them.  In a country as large and diverse as ours, they've been a source of both unity and division, and our future and theirs seem as deeply intertwined as ever...