One of the most surprising events in the American founding occurred when the Continental Congress used the word “happiness” in the Declaration of Independence. Up to that point, it was not a word often utilized in great political writings. Words like “justice,” “liberty,” “property,” “honor,” “power,” “rights” and others were expected in such a … [Read more...]
Why Entrepreneurship is Vital to Free Society by Oliver DeMille
August 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment
I write and speak a lot about entrepreneurship, because my purpose and mission is to promote freedom. I was recently asked whether my real focus is entrepreneurship or freedom, and I responded that they are the same topic. The other person in the conversation was surprised, but after we talked she seemed convinced. I think a lot of modern … [Read more...]
Expanding Your Circle of Influence
August 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment
One of the greatest truths I’ve ever learned came from a cave man in the film “10,000 B.C.” The film is set in prehistoric times and tells the story of two young nomads growing up together. After becoming the leader of the tribe, one of the young men faces an almost impossible challenge when a more highly advanced civilization kidnaps and … [Read more...]
The Rising Aristocracy in America – and How to Stop It by Oliver DeMille
August 14, 2013 by 31 Comments
In the past year there has been an amazing rash of articles on the increase of aristocratic attitudes in American society and culture. For example, school admissions are struggling with the sense of entitlement many families and other groups now feel, and major theme parks like Disney and Universal Studios have responded to affluent ticket … [Read more...]
The Death of the Middle Class by Oliver DeMille
August 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Columnist Joe Klein said on The Chris Matthews Show: “This is the biggest problem that we’re facing going forward. We were a homogenous, middle class country, by and large, for the fifty years after World War II. “Now we’re no longer homogenous, and there’s a good aspect to that in that we have become a true multiracial country. But there’s … [Read more...]
Leaders Don’t Have to Be Shouters
August 5, 2013 by 1 Comment
A friend of mine threw in the towel recently. She’s grown weary of trying to dialogue with libertarians. She feels they’re rude, condescending, and unwilling to work with her on political issues. This is a common perception. Unfortunately, it also accurately describes virtually everyone who frames his or her political beliefs in strictly … [Read more...]
While America Sleeps by Oliver DeMille
August 2, 2013 by 1 Comment
In 1938 Winston Churchill wrote one of the most important books in history, While England Slept. He argued that between 1932 and 1938 the British government ignored the rising challenges posed by Hitler’s Germany. Why didn’t the government see what was obvious to Churchill and many others? Why didn’t it make hard choices early in order to … [Read more...]
Lessons in Leadership from George Washington by Oliver DeMille
July 31, 2013 by 3 Comments
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...]
Don’t Waste Your Failures
July 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment
I was in a bookstore one day browsing through the section on historical fiction. I am a sucker for a well-written novel set in a real historical time and involving characters from our past. Thumbing through the familiar names of Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden, and Jeff Shaara, I was surprised to come across a couple of books in this genre by … [Read more...]
