An Introduction

During the debate over the Constitution, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison wrote 85 articles championing the ratification of the Constitution. These Federalist Papers not only defended the Constitution as a national necessity but also promulgated the basic tenets of American republicanism.

The articles were signed under the nom de plume of Publius in reference to Publius Valerius Publicola who took part in the overthrow of the Roman monarchy in 509 BC that established one of history’s great republics. The Roman republic Publius helped create served as an inspiration for Jay, Hamilton and Madison and as such the Federalist Papers constitute a defining moment in the last 2500 years of republican government.

Like Publius and this nation’s Founders, I believe that the function of government is to maximize the liberty of its citizens and that the republic is the form of government that best does this. But over the last 150 years, the institutions and attitudes underpinning the American republic have been steadily undermined and abandoned.

The Founders warned against factions and populism but it is these two forces that dominate American political life today. These forces have transformed and expanded the federal government into a service industry for the mob that considers the population’s comfort over its liberty.

Today, the government wiretaps foreign and domestic communication, owns a major car company and is poised to intervene in the health care industry.

And so, I’ve created this blog as a forum to discuss developments both foreign and domestic that I believe are important to the future of this nation and the maintenance of its republican identity. I will post pieces specifically for this blog as well as more formal articles I've written for other sites and publications. No matter what, I hope you enjoy it and find it to be informative and thought provoking.

Remember: liberty is the most precious inheritance of the American people and its strongest safeguard is the republican form of government.