I have four children, so I think often about what I ought to be doing to make a world a better place before I shuffle off this mortal coil. When engaging in these sorts of speculations it quickly becomes clear that we are only fundamentally in control of ourselves, and ourselves alone. We cannot force other people to do what we want them to do. As the ancient Christian martyrs showed, not even the threat of death can force others to believe or do that which they do not wish to do.

The European political and financial elite knows that the war in Ukraine is lost but wants to use it as an opportunity to reach strategic independence from the United States. As the future chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz said right after his electoral win on Feb 23: “It will be an absolute priority for me to strengthen Europe as soon as possible so much that it gradually really achieves independence from the United States.”

Trump’s assault on USAID is more than an exposure of its alignment with far left narratives. It raises the question: How far will he go in dealing with its perceived waste and abuse?

Recent research highlights a concerning trend: 84 percent of Americans are afraid to exercise their freedom of speech, according to a New York Times Opinion/Siena College Poll. While this statistic alone is alarming, it only scratches the surface of a broader issue—the gradual erosion of personal liberties.

Tip O’Neil, a legendary House Speaker and friend of Ronald Reagan said, “All politics is local.” Heading west from Milwaukee, you will see fields of corn and cows. The cows are cogs in a huge international market. Wisconsin is a major milk and cheese producer. Bessie the cow and her Wisconsin friends produce 25 percent of all US cheese.

The heated exchange that broke out between President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Ukrainian President Zelensky in the Oval Office last Friday has captured the world’s attention. One reason is simply that it’s rare to see genuine face-to-face arguments between world leaders happen out in front of the cameras. But, adding to that, it was striking to watch Vance and Trump issue a sharp rebuke to a leader that virtually all government officials in the West have treated like an unassailable saint.

Rand Paul, Elon Musk, and several others, have recently called for an audit of the US government’s gold holdings. This has reminded many Americans that the US government owns a hoard of gold—of 261 million ounces—at Fort Knox and other places. On the other hand, the debate over the audit will be something new altogether for some who have never given much thought at all to the fact that the federal government owns approximately $750 billion in gold.

If you want medical care in a timely manner in Las Vegas, you must find a concierge doctor who is taking patients and pay $2000+ a year to be able to see the doctor and to be referred to specialists as needed.

Private schools have provided an escape hatch for parents fed up with poor quality government schooling. While the cost is considerable, parents make the sacrifice while still funding government schools with their tax dollars.

When considering the prospect of a minimal or even non-existent state, many are understandably concerned about how society would function. Doesn’t the government provide vital services “behind the scenes” that keep society running? Wouldn’t there be chaos and disorder without those services?