The Bold Future of the Outer Space Treaty
With President Trump calling for a “Space Force” and private enterprise increasingly invested in space, what of the dream of international peace?
When FDR Tried to Pack the Courts
Pushing New Deal legislation, FDR proposed that extra justices should be added to the Supreme Court, one for every sitting justice over the age of seventy.
What Makes This SCOTUS Nomination Unique?
Presidents have always chosen Supreme Court nominees who agree with their political beliefs. But they've gotten savvier about the selection process.
Should Politics be Civil?
Some political philosophers suggest that arguments about civility are a distraction from the real political issues.
Jimmy Carter and the Meaning of Malaise
In July of 1979, Jimmy Carter delivered a presidential address that was more like a sermon, urging America to reflect upon its meaning and purpose.
How Pleasure Lulls Us into Accepting Surveillance
The domestication of surveillance technology has caused big legal and ethical implications for security on both a personal and a social scale.
Did Barack Obama Deserve the Nobel Prize?
Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009. He took the award not as a reward for accomplishments but as a "call to action."
How Harry Truman Transformed the Vice Presidency
Initially viewed by his critics as a parochial, lackluster Midwestern politician, Harry Truman emerged as a president who oversaw grand historic events.
How FDR’s Presidency Inspired Term Limits
The Founding Fathers considered term limits, but ultimately rejected the idea. It wasn't until FDR's unprecedented four terms that lawmakers reconsidered.
How To Make a Leader Step Down
President Xi Jinping of China recently managed to abolish term limits. What compels some leaders to discard the rules of the very systems that led them to power?