We take consumer choice for granted. If McDonald’s serves us a cold cheeseburger and refuses to replace it, we can go to Burger King. If Wal-Mart sells us a broken television set and refuses to replace it or give us a refund, we can go to Best Buy. The ability to leave gives businesses a […]
If We Demand Choice in Markets, Why Not in Politics? Read More »
Why should we celebrate Constitution Day on September 17? The Constitution offers Americans a profound gift, but one that also brings responsibilities. We Americans are free thinkers and thus have many differences of opinion on what needs fixing and how and who should do it. The Constitution with all of its amendments offers a way
Constitution Day 2026 Read More »
The following is an excerpt from our short course entitled “Why Governments? What Could Governments Do for Us?” In this post, we discuss issues related to government deficits and borrowing. Some national governments seek balanced budgets, but most run deficits. A fiscal deficit arises when total spending exceeds revenues. That deficit must be financed by
Ins & Outs of Government Borrowing Read More »
This is a question our founders debated endlessly as they looked to realize a vision self-governance absent a monarch. This is a question that is still debated everywhere–from the chambers of your state legislature, to the quarterly meeting of your local school board, to the meeting room of your homeowner’s association. Every government needs a
What Is the Absolute Minimum a Government Needs? Read More »
From 1820 to 1870, millions of immigrants from Ireland and Germany came to the U.S.A. due to extreme hardship at home. These immigrants were not well received by some Americans. Part of the reason for the opposition was religious. Many were Roman Catholic while most of the U.S. at the time was Protestant. Religious discrimination,
Bloody Monday Election Riots of 1855 Read More »
If you’re interested in how U.S. elections work and how well, we have got you covered! Each of the topics listed below has been reviewed by a conservative expert and a progressive expert.Click on the topics that interest you. We cover many other topics as well. Click on the button below to see what is
Elections Explainer Read More »
In our April 5, 2026, blog, we proposed six points that could be added to standard civic education for people of all ages. Continuing in that spirit, we propose several more. Write to us at team@cffad.org and let us know what you think. Discussing these realities helps motivate two fundamental questions:
More to Add to Civics? Read More »
Public corruption can harm you and all Americans in many ways. The more the government’s leaders and public officials steal from the public purse, the less public resources are available for all manner of social services, for foreign aid, and for national security. The more corrupt acts distort the allocation of public resources, favoring bribe-payers
What Do We Lose from Corruption? Read More »
While courts can review congressional laws, Article III of the Constitution also gives Congress some power to limit the federal courts, such as deciding which kinds of cases the courts are allowed to hear. (See Article III, Section 2, Clause 2, Sentence 2 of the Constitution.) This push-and-pull is part of the ongoing balancing process
Congress and the Courts Read More »
Memorial Day is more than a holiday. It is a solemn day of remembrance—an opportunity to honor the men and women who served in our armed forces and sacrificed their lives and limbs in defense of the values we aspire to uphold as a nation. They served with courage, believing in a country where the
All Americans gain from being able to participate in a regular schedule of free and fair elections to choose those who govern us. If you want to learn more about how elections work, check out our short read “Things You Might Not Know About Elections.”
Universal Voting Rights Read More »
How much public corruption is there in the USA? Public corruption was notably present in the Gilded Age from the end of the Civil War through the 1890s, before a public backlash led to several key reforms. At the start of the 21st century, the U.S. was counted among the less corrupt countries. The situation
Public Corruption in the USA Read More »
The U.S. judicial system is more than a referee for private disputes. Courts also shape how the three branches of government balance power, and they set limits on what officials can and cannot do. Understanding these relationships explains why the judiciary matters to every citizen. These checks and balances are not abstract—they affect how laws
The Courts and Immunity Read More »
Two weeks ago, we posted a civics quiz. We also offered it to 520 respondents in a sample selected by SurveyMonkey. It was not your usual “who, what, when, and where” test. Instead, we asked how key aspects of American democracy can have value to all Americans. The results suggest that our K-12 programs
Many Americans Are Not Seeing Value in Democracy Read More »
July 4, 2026 was the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.But what did you gain from that, and why does it matter? Tell us what you think – take the short quiz below!
Can You Pass Our Civics Quiz? Read More »
Should the six points below be part of civic education, for people of all ages? Write to us at team@cffad.org and let us know what you think. 1. There will always be people who disagree on what the problems are and how to solve them. 2. Most of us operate under a consensus bias, which
Add This to Civics? Read More »
Most people are not corrupt. For those ordinary citizens who are involved, it is more likely to be petty corruption, perhaps paying a bribe to avoid a speeding ticket, than they are to get involved with grand public corruption. In 2013, Transparency International reported that seven percent of Americans surveyed reported paying a bribe. For
What Kinds of People Become Corrupt? Read More »
The Constitution’s framers intended to insulate the federal courts from political pressure. They therefore required that: Similar protections exist for state court judges – with some caveats. Next week, we will look at how the judiciary can put limits on some government officials.
Judicial Independence Read More »
One definition of public corruption, from Transparency International, is “the abuse of entrusted power for personal gain.” We expand upon that in a way that lets us address some specific aspects of public corruption. Public corruption is the abuse of official positions or public trust for illegitimate partisan and/or private gain. We take this definition
What is Public Corruption? Read More »
The U.S. judicial system is more than a referee for private disputes. Courts also shape how the three branches of government balance power, and they set limits on what officials can and cannot do. Understanding these relationships explains why the judiciary matters to every citizen. These checks and balances are not abstract—they affect how laws
The Courts & Other Branches of Government Read More »
Public corruption does real harm, often to people just like you. When those in governmental power abuse their offices for any of the many reasons defined in this course, then citizens are always hurt, whether from higher prices, lower living standards, threats to personal safety and freedom, or greater national security risks. The perpetrators of public corruption
Why Care About Corruption? Read More »
Until 2025, it was common for one or more district court judges to issue “universal injunctions” to block specific federal policies, which were often issued in the form of executive orders from the Office of the President. The Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. CASA (2025) that universal injunctions exceed the power granted to the
Can District Courts Block Federal Policies? Read More »
This short course has three parts: (1) an introduction to public corruption, including the harm it does to democracy and your finances, (2) a review of what makes corruption more likely, and (3) how you can fight against corruption. There are also two annexes, one of which provides details about the many kinds of public
New Course: Public Corruption Read More »
The United States has not one but two court systems: state and federal. They run side by side, each with trial courts, appeals courts, and a high court at the top. Most of the time, your daily legal issues—family disputes, traffic tickets, property fights, or criminal charges—are handled by state courts. Federal courts step in
How Is the Judicial System Organized? Read More »
How much do you know about the U.S. judicial system? We offer you a roadmap, along with information useful to any citizen about how the courts affect each of us – and how we can help shape the courts.
Big Court Ruling! But … Read More »
Why is this important? The judicial system is more than legal drama on the news. The judicial system shapes far more of our daily lives than we realize. It is the part of government that interprets the rules, protects our rights, and keeps power in check. Understanding how it works helps all of us see
Judicial System Roles Read More »
This year, the country holds mid-term elections. Congressional, legislative, gubernatorial, and statewide offices are on the ballots in 46 states. The first step will be primary elections, where candidates compete to be the face of their political party. If you are interested in helping to select a candidate for your favored party, you can find
2026 Mid-Term Elections Read More »
Why is this important? You want to be treated fairly. At the same time, our communities depend on a deeper foundation: We can only live together peacefully if we treat each other fairly. These two levels—personal and societal—capture the essence of justice. The judicial system is where fairness is tested, enforced, and often contested. There
This short course offers an introduction to the U.S. judicial system, why it should matter to every citizen, and what your role can be within the system. It begins by exploring different ideas of justice—fairness, protection of rights, accountability, social good, and fair process—showing that our courts are where these principles are tested in daily
New Course: Introduction to the American Judicial System Read More »
In a government of, by, and for the people, people need to trust that they will be treated fairly. They need to know they can vote like anyone else, that they will be treated just as well as anyone else, and that elected officials will feel as accountable to them as anyone else. It’s a
