Eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York’s Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial on Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history’s most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies […]

In his first Papal Exhortation, Pope Francis criticized “trickle down” economics. Some conservative pundits reacted rather harshly to the Pope’s choice of words. They wrongly took the comments as a unilateral condemnation of everything freemarket economists have ever proclaimed about the positive effects of supply side economics. It wasn’t. Meanwhile, progressive pundits seemed ebullient, mistaking […]

I’m turning into my father. About this time every year, my father pulls me aside and asks me to tell my five sisters he doesn’t need any gifts for Christmas — and, “for Godsakes, please tell your sisters I don’t need more sweaters.Use the money to get something nice for your mother!” Nonetheless, every Christmas, […]