Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer For the first hundred years of American history, there was one cause of public debt: war. The United States of America started in debt, and it paid its bills. There wasn’t another spike in debt to Gross Domestic Product ratio until the American Civil War. At thisContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Have you ever heard the saying “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail”? I’ve heard it all my life. It served me as one of those wise sayings: use the right tool for a job. My dad would certainly agree. He wouldContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Fox News just agreed to pay $787.5 million for lying about Dominion voting machines. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton offered to use $3.3 million of tax dollars to settle a whistleblower case. Donald Trump paid nearly $300,000 to cover up his extramarital affairs. It must be niceContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer The Pledge of Allegiance ends with six memorable words: “With Liberty and Justice for All.” As we say these words, we are setting a standard for our own behavior. We will fight for liberty and justice for all. These are very powerful words also embody my ChristianContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer On July 25 2022, Daniel Perry shot and killed Garret Foster. Perry went to trial, and a jury of his peers found him guilty of murder. Texas Governor Greg Abbott wants this murderer to walk free. Foster had been part of a lawful assembly in Austin. HeContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Reading the Gospel of John on Easter provides a great insight into “Christian Leadership” and “Christian Citizenship.” John expresses in clear, unequivocal language the call to service and self-sacrifice. The mystery of Easter starts in John 13. Jesus is sitting down with his disciples for his “LastContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer On March 27, 2023, a shooter blasted their way into Covenant School in Nashville. In a matter of minutes the shooter killed three nine year old children and three adults. Armed with two military style assault rifles the shooter then took up a sniper position on theContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer While honesty is the best policy, it doesn’t always make the best politics. Twenty years ago, Presi-dent George W. Bush lied about Iraq. The invasion made conservatives happy but was a disaster for America. George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice told AmericaContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/ Contributing writer Saint Patrick’s Day has become a beloved American holiday. Whether that means pinching someone for not wearing green, drinking green beer, or eating corned beef and cabbage, the holiday has made it into our popular culture. Saint Patrick himself is a Roman Catholic saint. The Church grants theContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer On Feb. 27, 1968, Walter Cronkite changed history. He was a household name by that time. During the 40s, 50s and 60s, he covered everything from World War II to the Olympics. Cronkite gained the trust of the American people by telling the truth. As the hostContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon I think it is safe to say that the modern conservative movement prides itself as the defender of Judeo-Christian values. Like the Sadducees and the Pharisees in the Gospels they love public displays of religion. Every year professional conservatives stir up fake controversies like the “War onContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Maya Angelou said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Liberals showed you who they are by creating and defending Social Security and Medicare. Conservatives showed you who they were by opposing and undermining Social Security and Medicare. In 1935 FranklinContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer What could you do with $3.3 million? In Texas the median house selling price is $350,000. The state funding for each student in public schools is $5,100. I think $3.3 million is a lot of money. Ken Paxton apparently doesn’t since it isn’t his money – it’sContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer It shouldn’t surprise you that some reporters, talk show hosts and columnists are lazy. They find a meme and then plug in a detail. The meme today is the phrase “Washington is broken.” This phrase allows the speaker to avoid taking responsibility for a judgment orContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer The authors of the Texas Constitution supported public education. They wrote: “A general diffusion of knowledge being essential to the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people, it shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provision forContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer As a child, and as a parent, I’ve watched enough Sesame Street to have its images and songs drilled into my head. One of the most useful is the categorization song: “one of these things is not like the other.” It prompts a child to do aContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer Old sayings are a good way to remind us not to do stupid things. For example, I’ve often heard, “Don’t cut your nose off to spite your face.” This phrase warns us against acts of self-harm. We often act out of anger and end up hurting ourselves.Continue Reading
Glenn Melancon One of the best parts of my job as a historian is reading. Because I work at a small teaching university rather than a large research university, I take a broad approach to my continuing education. This morning I read a fascinating genetic study about prehistoric dogContinue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer In October of 1929 the New York Stock market crashed and took down the global economy. Conservative President Herbert Hoover chose to keep government help limited. For the next three years the economy remained in free fall. This horrible experience taught voters that something had to change. Continue Reading
Glenn Melancon/Contributing writer The Gospel of Luke starts with the most recognizable image of Christmas: a babe, wrapped in bands of cloth, lying in a manger. The manger scene certainly is touching, but it is also powerful. It tells us everything we need to know about Christianity. The Christ childContinue Reading