When George Washington was put in charge of the army and tasked with beating the British, he had three major problems. The first one was that the British were considered invulnerable, having overwhelmingly proven their power in many nations and continents. The second problem was that the officers in the American army wanted the special … [Read more...]
Are We In for a “Second Great Depression”? by Oliver DeMille
July 30, 2013 by 1 Comment
In my recent class on current events, I documented the effectiveness of one scholarly media source in predicting future national policies, elections and other governmental events. The source is Foreign Affairs, a quarterly publication that seems to actually influence Washington more than simply provide forecasts. Of course, forecasts are always a … [Read more...]
How to Change the World: Lessons from Thomas Paine
July 25, 2013 by 1 Comment
Thomas Paine’s book, Common Sense, altered the course of history. Without it (and the impact it had on the American Revolution), it is doubtful that America would have won. At the beginning of the war, John Adams suggested that about a third of Americans supported Independence, about a third supported Britain, and about a third were … [Read more...]
How the Obama Administration Will Divert Attention: A Prediction
July 23, 2013 by 1 Comment
History runs in cycles and patterns. People who think such cycles can help us precisely forecast every turn of events are always disappointed, but those who ignore the patterns as if they can teach us nothing are missing important information as well. My reading of the cycles makes me think that the Obama Administration may soon be at a … [Read more...]
Europe Calls Washington’s Spying Agenda “Orwellian”
July 22, 2013 by 1 Comment
Recently I wrote about how deeply concerned I am with the American public’s seeming apathy about the government spying on its own people. I received a lot of positive feedback, and I was excited that so many people still feel the importance of standing up for freedom. I got one email from a gentleman who seemed to feel that I had overstated the … [Read more...]
How to Restore America: 3 Stages of Real Influence by Oliver DeMille
July 17, 2013 by 1 Comment
“I would invite the reader’s attention to the kind of lives our ancestors lived and the means by which [America’s] power was first acquired and expanded; I would then have him trace the process of our moral decline, to watch, first, the sinking of the foundations of morality as the old teaching was allowed to lapse, then the rapidly increasing … [Read more...]
The Rise & Fall of Institutions: Commentary on Edward Snowden by Oliver DeMille
July 12, 2013 by 18 Comments
We are living through a major transition in America, and the Edward Snowden case illustrates just how significant it is. As recently as 1991, the American people were proud of their country, and highly impressed with their government institutions and leaders. The people looked up to the White House after what many considered a successful … [Read more...]
A Missing Word Vital to Freedom
July 8, 2013 by 1 Comment
There is a word missing from our modern vocabulary. It is in the dictionary, but it is hardly ever used anymore. The word is “polity,” and it carries with it a whole worldview that has been lost since the American founding. The word comes from Aristotle, who said there are six main types of government. Three of these are monarchy, aristocracy and … [Read more...]
What is Freedom?
July 1, 2013 by 2 Comments
I frequently get asked something along the lines of, “Oliver, you talk a lot about freedom; but what, exactly, do you mean by the word ‘freedom?’ How do you define it?” It’s a very good question. To answer it, I first want to define “liberty.” After all, the Declaration of Independence boldly affirms that among our inalienable rights are “life, … [Read more...]
Spy On Me?! by Oliver DeMille
June 26, 2013 by 28 Comments
I am really angry. Upset. Surprised. Shocked. Mainly angry. I have been studying history, freedom, and current events for well over two decades now, and I don’t think I’ve ever been this upset. I’ve built several businesses, taught thousands of people the classics of liberty and free enterprise, written a number of books, researched and given … [Read more...]
