The Hewitt Ledger

  Because You Can’t Defend What You Don’t Understand “A republic—if you can keep it.” — Benjamin Franklin We live in the noisiest age in human history. Our attention is fractured, our discourse is shallow, and our civic memory is fading. People know the latest viral trend, but not the difference between a right and a law. They know who won an election, but not how the winner is supposed to govern. We are a nation with the most durable constitutional system ever written— and a growing number of citizens who have no idea how it works . The final crisis of a republic isn’t corruption or overreach. It’s forgetfulness. This post is about how we got here—and what it will take to turn it around. The Symptoms of a Checked-Out Citizenry Civic ignorance doesn’t just happen. It’s the result of decades of educational neglect, cultural distraction, and political tribalism. Here’s what it looks like: Confusing democracy with mob rule Believing presidents “make” laws or judges “enforce” them Tre...

  Why True Liberty Requires Boundaries, Order, and Responsibility “Liberty may be endangered by the abuses of liberty as well as the abuses of power.” — James Madison We hear it all the time: “I have a right to say whatever I want.” Or “You can’t tell me what to do—it’s a free country.” These slogans are thrown around as if rights are absolute, self-justifying, and above challenge. But here’s the hard truth: your rights are not unlimited —and they were never meant to be. The U.S. Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights, protects liberty through limits—not just on government, but on us as citizens. True rights come with boundaries. Because without order, liberty devolves into license. And license, left unchecked, collapses into chaos. This post explores why the Founders believed responsible liberty was essential, why certain limits on rights are necessary in a civil society, and how modern confusion over “freedom” threatens both safety and freedom. What Rights Actually Are...

  How Congress Broke the Budget—and Why Future Generations Will Pay the Price “I place economy among the first and most important republican virtues, and public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared.” — Thomas Jefferson For all the noise in Washington, few issues pose a greater long-term threat to the republic than the one almost no one wants to touch: spending and debt . Year after year, Congress runs massive deficits, adds trillions to the national debt, and promises programs we cannot afford—while avoiding any serious conversation about cost, trade-offs, or consequences. At some point, the math wins. But by then, the damage may already be done. This post explains how federal spending is supposed to work, why the budget process is broken, and what the fiscal cliff really means—not in political rhetoric, but in practical terms for the next generation of Americans. How It’s Supposed to Work The Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse : Only Congress can auth...