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Explainer: What you should know about the Democratic Party platform (Part I)

During the recent DemocraticNational Conventionthe delegates voted to adopttheir party’s platform,a document that outlines the statement of principles and policies that the party has decided it will support. Although the document is not binding on the presidential nominee or any other politicians,political scientists have foundthat over the past 30 years lawmakers in Congress tend to vote in line with their party’s platform: 89 percent of the time for Republicans and 79 percent of the time for Democrats. Because of its...

Why Milton Friedman’s Capitalism and Freedom is still relevant today

As we approach what would be Milton Friedman’s 104th birthday this Sunday, July 31st, we should note the enduring significance of his evaluation of the connection between economic and political freedom. In his popular work, Capitalism and Freedom, in a chapter titled “The Relation between Economic Freedom and Political Freedom,” Friedman explains how a society cannot have the latter without the former. Friedman criticizes the notion that politics and economics can be regarded separately and that bination of political and...

Re-branding capitalism for millennials

“Over the last decade, millennials have been characterized as filled with a sense of entitlement, lazy, and disillusioned,” says Allison Gilbert in this week’s Acton Commentary. “In the past year they have acquired another label: socialist” Despite the fact that the Democratic Party has begun to adopt more policies of the far left — like the $15 minimum wage — many polls show that less than half of Sanders supporters say they will be voting for Clinton this fall. Taking...

Rethinking ‘wasted votes’ and third-party candidates

Jill Stein (Green Party), Rocky Anderson (Justice Party), Virgil Goode (Constitution Party), and Gary Johnson (Libertarian Party). When es to something as important as a presidential election, most Americans don’t want to vote for a candidate who will very likely lose. But pragmatic considerations have no place in the voting booth, for two reasons. First, one person’s vote almost certainly won’t impact a presidential election. Second, voting for someone we consider the “lesser of two evils” loses sight of the...

Economic and religious implications of the DNC platform

Earlier this week, I talked about the religious and economic implications of the RNC platform. As the DNC wraps up, it is time to examine the relevant points of the Democratic platform. Innovation & Entrepreneurship We need an economy that prioritizes long-term investment over short-term profit-seeking, rewards mon interest over self-interest, and promotes innovation and entrepreneurship. Minimum Wage Democrats believe that the current minimum wage is a starvation wage and must be increased to a living wage. No one who...

The Rise Campaign: restoring New York City through the workplace

New York City has been called one of the least religious cities in America. In recent years though, ministries’ based there have felt a resurgence of the gospel movement and seen potential for cultural change. Because of this Tim Keller and his church, Redeemer Presbyterian, have started the Rise campaign. Rise is looking to dramatically expand the number of New York City residents that attend a “gospel teaching church” from the current 5 percent, to 15 percent in the next...

Uniting economics with the grammar of creation

Michael Thigpen had a successful job at a bank, rising through the ranks of pany to a management position. Yet he had originally planned to be a teacher or a pastor, and after finally graduating from seminary and struggling to find a position in either role, he became frustrated with his banking career. Now a theology professor at Biola University, Thigpen realizes that his frustrations had to do with an inaccurate vision of vocation and the human person as redeemed...

RELIGION & LIBERTY

Baptists Call on House Speaker Mike Johnson to Stand with Ukraine

　　Southern Baptist leaders have written to US House Speaker Mike Johnson, a member and former official of their denomination, urging him to support Ukraine in Russias war against its Eastern European neighbor. 　　As you consider efforts to support Ukraine, we humbly ask that you consider the plight of Christians, wrote the leaders, who either have ties to the SBCs Southwestern...

Mar 13, 2026

Chuck Swindoll Steps Down as Senior Pastor, but Won’t Retire

　　Chuck Swindoll has said that pastors should never retire, and the 89-year-old wont be stepping away from the pulpit even as his church welcomes his successor. 　　Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, announced this week that Swindoll will transition to founding pastor, continuing to preach on Sundays, as Jonathan Murphy becomes its senior pastor on May 1. 　　This is a...

Mar 13, 2026

Rules for Royalists

　　Since the smash hit of Jordan B. Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life, publishers have been looking for other notable figures who might provide self-help for young, conservative men. I reviewed another such entry for Law Liberty, and now I turn to one by Eduard Habsburg, from the storied European aristocratic family that once ruled over half of Europe, most of...

Mar 13, 2026

Learning to Cast Our Cares

　　Learning to Cast Our Cares 　　By: Anne Peterson 　　Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:7 　　I could tell Mike was aggravated. There didn’t seem to be enough money at the end of the month to take care of the bills. I could see it erode his self-confidence. But it reminded me of...

Mar 13, 2026

Is There a “Post” in Post

　　Liberalism has faced strong intellectual headwinds since 2008. The collapse of the financial system did not just rock consumer confidence but the political system on which it was founded. Ever since, we have witnessed rising concern about the state of liberalism in America, creating a genuine fear of backsliding. Could a political order again emerge that sees inequality between peoples...

Mar 13, 2026

Flying the Unfriendly Skies

　　The best scenes in Masters of the Air, a nine-part series on Apple TV, arrive at 25,000 feet, as squadrons of B-17 Flying Fortresses cruise in formation to bomb Germany during World War II. Oxygen masks strapped on, the crews man their posts and brace for flak and Luftwaffe fighter planes. The ball turret gunner squeezes into his glass globe...

Mar 13, 2026

Redemption through His Blood (John 11:25)

　　Redemption through His Blood 　　By Lynette Kittle 　　“In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”– John 11:25 　　I love the picture Revelation 1:5 describes Jesus as “Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” 　　It reminds me of how as a young...

Mar 13, 2026

Rethinking Thinking

　　You find yourself in a bar, deeply engaged in a discussion with a friend over a public policy issue. You hold your position with confidence, convinced beyond doubt that theres no room for debate. Every article you have read, every news segment you have watched, and every conversation you have had in the past month regarding this issue has reinforced...

Mar 13, 2026

More Porridge? Senegal Christians Debate Exchanging Holiday Foods with Muslims

　　Muslims in Senegal love to share meat. Its Christians share porridge. 　　Ending their monthlong Ramadan fast this week, the faithful in the Muslim-majority West African nation invited Christian friends to celebrate Korite (Eid al-Fitr), focus on forgiveness and reconciliation, and serve a wholesome meal of chicken. 　　A little over two months later during Tabaski (Eid al-Adha), the mutton from sheep...

Mar 13, 2026

Some Evangelicals Want a Third

　　Charlie Richert would really like to stop voting for his dad. 　　But in the last couple presidential election cycles, the 30-year-old attorney in Indianapolis has been unable to square his conscience with picking either the Republican or Democratic party nominee, so hes resorted to writing in a name. 　　Theres no way I can escape having my faith inform how I...

Mar 13, 2026