Near the beginning of his State of the Union address last night, President Obama said, “. . . and we can say with renewed confidence that the State of our Union is stronger.” If you were surprised to hear that the union is “strong” then this was probably the first time you’ve heard a State of the Union address. Over the last hundred years presidents have described the State of the Union (SOTU) in various ways—Good (Truman), Sound (Carter), Not...

On Feb. 11, Rev. Robert Sirico discussed the unexpected resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on CNBC News. He talked about Pope Benedict XVI’s reason for resigning, what happens when the papal seat is empty, and who potential candidates for the new pope are. Listen here: [audio: ...

During Tuesday’s State of the Union, President Obama called for an increase in preschool education in order to prepare workers in the future: …none of it will matter unless we also equip our citizens with the skills and training to fill those jobs. And that has to start at the earliest possible age. You know, study after study shows that the sooner a child begins learning, the better he or she does down the road. But today, fewer than three...

It is arguable that celebrated rapper Lil’ Wayne pletely lost his mind. In his newly released, grossly pathetic song “Karate Chop” the rapper spits in the face of the family of civil rights martyr Emmett Till by juxtaposing a reference to sexual conquest with the brutal race-driven murder of the teenager in 1955. In the song “Karate Chop (Remix),” Lil’ Wayne says that he intends to “Beat that p**sy up like Emmett Till.” For those unfamiliar with the story, Emmett...

In “The Moral Meanings of Markets,” in the latest issue of the Journal of Markets & Morality, Ryan Langrill and Virgil Henry Storr argue that markets ought to be understood and defended not simply as amoral, or merely moral, but as robustly moral spaces. In exploring the contention that markets reward virtues besides prudence, Langrill and Storr illustrate how market exchanges tend to promote civility and politeness. “It makes sense for profit-seeking businessmen to invest in goodwill and good customer...

Seize the Day with Gus Lloyd on SiriusXM’s the Catholic Channel interviewed Kishore Jayabalan, director of the Acton Institute in Rome,regarding Pope Benedict XVI’s unexpected resignation. Jayabalan discussed the mood in the Rome, the shock of the timing, and Pope Benedict XVI’s legacy. Listen to the full interview here: [audio: ...

If you missed President Obama’s State of the Union address last night, here is the transcript in the form of a word cloud. Here is the Republican response given by Sen. Marco Rubio. And here is the Tea Party response by Sen. Rand Paul: Note: The size of a word in the graphic is proportional to the number of times the word appears in the speech. ...

The Center for Faith and Work at LeTourneau University recently profiled Camcraft, a Christian-run manufacturing business whose owners, the Bertsche family, seek to steward their business according to God’s purposes. “By using Biblical principles to run pany,” says Bern Bertsche, “not only is that God’s way, but it’s a very effective way to run a business.” Watch the video below: Camcraft orients itself around a broader mission to(1) to glorify God, (2) be a great place to work, (3) be...

It was William F. Buckley who said “conservatism takes into account reality.” Reality has e the giant political obstacle for conservatives when es to governing, campaigning, and political messaging. It seems too many Americans still love their freedoms but eschew many of the responsibilities e with it. That’s the crisis we face, the lack of responsibility and our collective grasp on reality. In last night’s State of the Union Address, President Obama predictably fatigued those looking for real cuts, a...

During his recent State of the Union address, President Obama argued for increasing the federal minimum wage: Even with the tax relief we put in place, a family with two kids that earns the minimum wage still lives below the poverty line. That’s wrong. That’s why, since the last time this Congress raised the minimum wage, 19 states have chosen to bump theirs even higher. Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time...