Recognizing that the land is a gift, Duvall’s characters embrace redemption and service to self, to community, and (even when misguided) to God.

Larry Lindsey, now George W. Bush's chief economic adviser, sees himself as helping to turn the presidential candidate's vision into nuts-and-bolts programs.

Can Greenspan guide policy successfully through a period in which both the economy and the threats to it are changing with blinding speed.

Are there limits to federal involvement in K-12 education? What can the government really do well to improve schooling? Should it be involved at all? In this presidential election year, these and other educational hot topics are examined in Carrots, Sticks, and the Bully Pulpit: Lessons From a Half-Century of Federal Efforts to Improve America’s Schools

Pundits have lately been comparing Barack Obama to Jimmy Carter, suggesting he is a likely loser in 2012. It's always helpful to be reminded that early polls may not be predictive and that opinion can change, as was the case when Truman won in 1948 and when Carter lost in 1980. But we should also keep in mind that today's polls are better and more frequent than they were 63 years ago.

History books look back in admiration at how President Kennedy faced down the Soviets during the Cuban Missile Crisis; it is worth pondering how the history books will treat Obama's handling of a similarly apocalyptic Iranian nuclear threat.

Liberals sadly disdain Sir Winston Churchill, though he ought to be as much of a hero for liberals as he is for conservatives.

Wine investment has unbelievably high returns.