On March 10, the University of Michigan announced that starting on March 14 it would be partially repealing the mask mandate that had been in place since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 14, masks have been optional in most indoor spaces on every University of Michigan campus with the exceptions of “classrooms […]
Author: Chris Coffey
Biden SCOTUS Nominee Should Be Recognized for Qualifications Beyond Identity
This February, which is also Black History Month, there is a vacancy on the United States Supreme Court. Justice Stephen Breyer, who has been sitting on the Court for nearly 30 years, announced his retirement a few weeks ago – giving President Biden his first opportunity to fill a vacancy on the nation’s highest court. […]
In Defense of Schlissel
Mark Schlissel, President of the University of Michigan since 2014, was recently terminated by the Board of Regents for being “involved in an inappropriate relationship with a University employee.” Schlissel, who was deeply unpopular among a large segment of Michigan students, was removed with immediate effect. The Board released a veritable treasure trove of email […]
‘No Time to Die’: A Flawed But Appropriate Ending to Daniel Craig’s Bond
Over Christmas break, I finally had the (admittedly belated) chance to watch No Time to Die, the final installation in Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond. In the leadup to the film’s release, many commentators suggested, and often hoped, that, in No Time to Die, Bond’s character would be irrevocably “wokeified”. Many believe Ian Fleming’s […]
Whitmer’s Veto Reveals Underlying Soft Bigotry
In a misguided attempt to “secure voting rights,” Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, vetoed three Republican-backed election integrity bills last month. Under current Michigan law, voters who do not have an acceptable photo ID are permitted to vote by simply signing an affidavit attesting that they do not have ID. No verification is required for […]
Book Review: Until the End of Time by Brian Greene
Until the End of Time is the latest book by acclaimed popular-science author and renowned physicist Brian Greene. In lucid and accessible prose, Greene takes readers on a scientific journey from the origins of the universe through the development of intelligent life to humankind’s efforts to find meaning in an endless cosmos. While Green’s explanations […]
The Waning of American Patriotism
While scrolling through the hyper-political wasteland of Twitter, I recently found something deeply concerning: a majority of liberal or liberal-leaning college students are not proud to be American. Conservatives are overwhelmingly proud to be American, as are a clear majority of moderates and independents, according to a 2021 American College Student Survey. The study is simply […]
Farewell, Prince Philip
Last week, Buckingham Palace announced that Prince Philip, husband to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 75 years, had passed away aged 99. Although the royal family has had no formal role in governing these shores since early-July of 1776, it maintains an intriguing and even fascinating grip on a part of the American psyche. While […]
A Thanksgiving Return to First Principles
There is much talk these days about divisiveness and political polarization, even within families. I have heard many fellow conservatives describe how a Thanksgiving dinner at their house is never complete without a political rift arising from their supposedly misguided view on some issue or other. I imagine my liberal friends have similar stories. At […]
The Troubling Trend of Executive Overreach
On his first day in office, newly-inaugurated President Joe Biden signed 17 executive orders. In his first week, he signed 37. In the same period of time Donald Trump signed four executive orders, Barack Obama signed five and George W. Bush signed zero. Perhaps Biden is attempting to maximize his output while he is still […]