American Habits

08/09/2026

What if America’s political dysfunction isn’t a failure of the Constitution, but a failure to practice constitutional government?

Ray Nothstine reflects on Yuval Levin’s remarks at SPN Annual Meeting:

https://americanhabits.org/yuval-levin-on-federalism-at-spn-annual-meeting/

07/09/2026

The Department of Education says education decisions should be made closer to students.

But that raises a bigger question:

Why should states need Washington’s permission in the first place?

The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that half the states now participate in Ed-Flex, a program allowing states to waive certain federal education requirements without first seeking Washington’s approval. Obviously, this is a pro-active step for education policy in the states. It’...

03/09/2026

“I was elected to be the mayor of Colorado Springs, not the mayor of Washington, D.C.”

Mayor Yemi Mobolade explains why local leadership should focus on competence, community, and getting the basics right instead of partisan politics.

01/09/2026

Should the American flag be lowered to half-staff for Dolly Parton?

One Mississippi mayor says the honor should be reserved for public servants and extraordinary events.

31/08/2026

What Washington can teach us about character and constitutional government:

I'm reading Walter Isaacson's biography of Benjamin Franklin. Such a brilliant man. That trait is all the more striking because he's entirely self-made. For all the time Franklin spent abroad, particularly in London, he remained quintessentially American. The American Founders disagreed on many thin...

27/08/2026

"You can't work with somebody you don't trust, and you can't trust somebody you don't know."

Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand explains why relationships, not partisan point-scoring, are the foundation of effective local government.

26/08/2026

Winning elections isn’t enough to recover self-government.

Real renewal requires rebuilding the habits of citizenship and responsibility that allow a free society to flourish.

I wrote an essay for the summer issue of State Policy Network News titled “America 250 & the Recovery of Self-Government.” Building on Justice Clarence Thomas’s excellent speech at the University of Texas at Austin back in April, I explore what it means to recover the Declaration’s principle...

25/08/2026

What makes Shreveport special?

Mayor Tom Arceneaux points to a culture rooted in family, faith, friendship, and traditions that keep people connected to one another.

24/08/2026

Wisconsin came within half a percentage point of nominating a DSA member for governor.

That near miss should get our attention:

In a shocking turn of events, on Tuesday, Democratic Socialists of America member Francesca Hong narrowly lost the Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial primary by a half a percentage point to the Democratic governor’s handpicked successor, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. The narrative has ...

21/08/2026

America’s founding principles cannot survive on words alone.

Self-government depends on citizens willing to practice and defend them in their families, communities, and states.

I wrote an essay for the summer issue of State Policy Network News titled “America 250 & the Recovery of Self-Government.” Building on Justice Clarence Thomas’s excellent speech at the University of Texas at Austin back in April, I explore what it means to recover the Declaration’s principle...