ArcaMax

I've lived in Atlanta for over three decades. I grew up an hour west in the then-rural town of Carrollton, where my father taught at West Georgia College. Twice a year, we traveled to Atlanta, in August to do our back-to-school shopping and in December to attend "The Nutcracker" ballet. My husband is a native Atlantan. Both our children were ...Read more

I am proud to be an American. Yes, I know that our system of government is not perfect, but I firmly believe that it is the best in the world. We are an exceptional country -- not because our people are exceptional but because we have a different -- and exceptional -- structure of government. I am grateful that I was born an American.

We ...Read more

These past few months have been tumultuous for our nation. If I could transport myself back to the first day of this year and explain to my friends what the state of the world would be six months later, they never would believe me. The COVID-19 pandemic, protests, riots, outrage everywhere. Unfortunately, here we are, for now.

As I caught up ...Read more

The COVID-19 pandemic stalled our economy and left millions without jobs and stuck in their houses. Then came the protests, attended by many now willing to brave the risk posed by the virus.

While our economy is starting to regain traction, President Donald Trump's reelection chances will be determined by our country's "ability to bounce back ...Read more

George Floyd was buried this week. It was clear to me when I watched the video that his death was tragic and unfair. It also seems that, to many Americans, his death brought to mind other tragic deaths that have occurred. For those who view Floyd's death as another one of many, it must seem tragically unfair.

The weight of this understanding: ...Read more

There has always been something different about America. We declared our freedom from a monarch and acknowledged that our rights were from God, not man. The rights enumerated included life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We then loaned rights to our government to allow for the governance of our nation but always retained the rights of the...Read more

"Stay shut or open up" is the current political argument. In its most simplistic form, it's painted as a choice between saving lives (stay shut) or helping the economy (open up). As with many supposedly two-choice options, it's both false and ill-framed. Just remember: When people give you two choices -- it's often a sign that they have not ...Read more

Memorial Day normally equates to BBQ, sales and pool openings, the beginning of summer. Many people travel to a beach, lake or mountain. Some traditions include visiting a memorial cemetery to honor the fallen. This year, the number of Americans traveling is expected to be far below last year's record-breaking 43 million, according to the ...Read more

Last week, Attorney General William Barr was interviewed by Catherine Herridge, a CBS News correspondent, regarding the Department of Justice decision to end the prosecution of former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

In December 2017, Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with the former Russian ambassador to the ...Read more

In March we learned about flattening the curve and social distancing (which should have been labeled "physical distancing") to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The goal was to lower the number of cases to ensure that the supply of hospital beds, and especially ventilators, was not overwhelmed by the need for them. The goal was not to totally ...Read more

Today, more than ever, it's important to remember we are part of an exceptional nation that has overcome many adversities in our past. This is such a challenging time for all of us, and it's easy to be frightened and scared. It has really helped me to remember the challenges we have overcome together as a nation.

Early last month, at the ...Read more

This week, we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. When I was a child, my father (former House Speaker Newt Gingrich) was an environmental studies professor at West Georgia College in Carrollton. In 1971, our family spent the second Earth Day picking up trash from the side of a road. We often hiked, canoed and camped at the ...Read more

In the past few months, we've experienced massive changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have lost their jobs or been furloughed. Many of us who are working are working from home. Children, teenagers and college students have transitioned to online learning, with college students moving back home. With no change in scenery for those of us ...Read more