Think Anew

Mar 12

Mar 12 Let’s Strengthen America’s Civic Rituals

Civic rituals are a way to strengthen ties among Americans. Strengthening civic rituals can help ease some of our national divides.

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Feb 27

Feb 27 How Much Does Memory Matter in Choosing a President?

Terry Newell

Governing Ourselves, Constitution

Candidates for president need to handle cognitively complex reasoning. How well they remember dates is a poor measure of that capability.

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Feb 13

Feb 13 We Can Talk Across Our Political Divides, Really!

Terry Newell

Civic Virtue, Constitution, The Ways We Think, Governing Ourselves

Too many assume that the “red” and “blue” divisions in American cannot be healed. We sell ourselves short.

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Jan 30

Jan 30 The Importance of Being Useful

Terry Newell

Pursuing Happiness, Governing Ourselves

The human need to feel useful to others is central to good health and happiness. When that need goes unfulfilled, we and society suffer.

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Jan 2

Jan 2 Our Political Party System is Failing America

Terry Newell

Governing Ourselves

Political parties can be helpful but only if their adherents exercise the self-restraint essential to avoid their dangers to democracy.

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Nov 28

Nov 28 Schizophrenia and the Federal Budget

Terry Newell

Governing Ourselves

Americans have inaccurate views and conflicting expectations about the nation’s finances. An effort to educate us might be a useful step.

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Oct 17

Oct 17 The Tragedy of the Social Commons

Terry Newell

Governing Ourselves

The trust essential for a healthy society is common resource but either infinite nor easily renewable. We are depleting that “social commons.”

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Oct 3

Oct 3 A Tiny Reminder from Far, Far Away

Terry Newell

Governing Ourselves, Civic Virtue

The NASA mission to recover a sample from the near-earth asteroid Bennu has a lot to teach us about how we address problems back here on our planet.

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Sep 26

Sep 26 Why Is Political Extremism so Hard to Change?

Terry Newell

The Ways We Think, Governing Ourselves

Political extremism is hard to combat, but encouraging people to open their minds and leaders to support that offers hope.

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Sep 18

Sep 18 Does a Future President Need Past Experience in Government?

Terry Newell

Governing Ourselves, Constitution

Americans who prefer as president media celebrities and/or those with no experience in government take risks with their - and democracy’s - future.

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Aug 29

Aug 29 Understanding the Constitution #22: Some Advice from Benjamin Franklin

Terry Newell

Constitution, Governing Ourselves

At the end of the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin gave the last speech. He urged delegates to be humble, judicious and virtuous in implementing the new government. That advice still matters.

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Jul 18

Jul 18 America Needs to Hear More Stories of Civic Virtue

Terry Newell

Civic Virtue, Character, Governing Ourselves

Democracy thrives when citizens demonstrate civic virtue. Our leaders need to share more stories of it in our daily lives.

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Jul 4

Jul 4 Many Public Problems Can’t Be Solved - But They Can Be Managed

Terry Newell

Governing Ourselves, The Ways We Think

Democracy suffers when warring camps on major issues insist their side has to win. Some problems just can’t be solved, but creative ways to manage them can be found.

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Jun 15

Jun 15 The Good Society and the Dignity of Workers

Terry Newell

Civic Virtue, Governing Ourselves

Our meritocracy - you go as far and high as your talents and energy permit - has downsides. Those at “the top” may feel superior to others, who who lack their opportunities but work equally hard. Those at “the bottom” may feel unappreciated. Neither is good for democracy.

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Jun 6

Jun 6 Profiles in Character #31: Harry Truman Courts Political Suicide

Terry Newell

Profiles in Character, Character, Governing Ourselves

President Harry Truman faced the political fight of his life in the election of 1948 yet risked defeat to significantly advance civil rights enforcement for African Americans.

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May 16

May 16 Moral Injury and the Fabric of Civil Society

Terry Newell

Civic Virtue, Governing Ourselves

When we witness, hear about, commit or cannot prevent actions that violate our moral values, we suffer moral injury - and the broader society also often pays a price.

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Apr 18

Apr 18 The Rule of Law is on Trial, Not Just Donald Trump

Terry Newell

Governing Ourselves, Civic Virtue

Any trial of Donald Trump is a test of the rule of law on which every American depends for their freedom. We must be be careful lest we fail that test.

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Apr 11

Apr 11 Let’s Trust School Children More

Terry Newell

The Ways We Think, Governing Ourselves

Questions drive learning. We should trust our children more to learn from the questions we and they pose in school.

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Mar 21

Mar 21 Dealing with the Imperfections of Historical Heroes

Terry Newell

Governing Ourselves

Jim Thorpe was a perfect athlete and an imperfect man. In that he was like so many other public figures. We might be a better society if we can accept and learn from our flawed public figures.

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Mar 6

Mar 6 Understanding the Constitution #21: Our Union is a Contract not a Compact

Terry Newell

Constitution, Governing Ourselves

Despite recent calls for a “national divorce,” the United States is a contract ratified by the whole people not a compact of states. Honoring that matters in how we think and behave, as the Constitution’s framers knew.

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Terry Newell

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