Government mandated vaccinations are nothing new in our nation’s history. However, this year has brought an increased intensity to the debate. In order to equip Christians to respond to the challenges presented by mandated vaccinations (whether from the political leaders or places of business) IPS will answer three questions: What does the Bible say about vaccine mandates? What does the law say about vaccine mandates? What does history teach us about vaccine mandates? As we prepare to answer these questions, it is necessary to remind the reader of two truths. First of all, IPS is neither for nor against vaccines … Read More
Private Property, Mass Transit, and the Exercise of Rights
By Mike Winther, President of the Institute for Principle Studies Private Property, Mass Transit, and the Exercise of Rights The political and civil rights that we cherish cannot be fully exercised without certain tools. These tools are material things that allow or enhance the exercise of a right. These material things are property, which has ownership that can be either public or private. As a society, we must make decisions as to which form of ownership we prefer for these tools. Should they be privately owned or publicly owned? Those who advocate for big government usually prefer public ownership and … Read More
Could We be Campaigning our Way to Defeat?
An IPS Essay By Michael R. Winther, President of the Institute for Principle Studies Note to readers: While the following article is addressed specifically to the Tea Party movement, the principles discussed here are relevant to every organization and movement in support of a cause. Freedom Movement Manifesto: Could We be Campaigning our Way to Defeat? One of the most frequently-asked political questions of our day is, “What will come of the Tea Party movement?” Both the left and the right seem to recognize the potential of this movement, but will this “potential” ultimately result in any substantial impact on … Read More
Read Us Our Rights
An IPS Essay By Michael R. Winther, President of the Institute for Principle Studies Read Us Our Rights One of the most important and fundamental principles of government involves a question of origins—not the origin of the species, but the origin of rights. It is difficult to discuss any aspect of government without addressing some question about rights. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy insightfully explains the importance and centrality of our understanding of rights: Rights dominate most modern understandings of what actions are proper and which institutions are just. Rights structure the forms of our governments, the contents of our … Read More
Health Care in America
An IPS Essay By Michael R. Winther, President of the Institute for Principle Studies Health Care in America The following article was originally published in early 1994. At the time that he wrote this article, Mike Winther was the Executive Director of the Society for Handicapped, a Modesto, California-based charity. Although this article was written over a decade ago, we feel that it is still timely and relevant to the health care crisis that is once again front-page news in America. We hope this re-publishing will be of educational benefit to our current readership. Introduction The debate over health care … Read More
The Federal Reserve: An Economic and Ethical Disaster
An IPS Essay By Dr. Shawn Ritenour, Professor of Economics at Grove City College The Federal Reserve: An Economic and Ethical Disaster Increasingly whenever tragedy strikes, be it a natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina or criminal wickedness such as mass murder, the American masses turn to the state to soothe their anxiety and solve their problems. They often do the same in response to economic disasters, such as the Great Depression and the current economic mess. From the time it became clear that our economy was in a lot of trouble, eyes turned toward Ben Bernanke, Chairman of our … Read More
Equality and Liberty: Friends or Foes?
An IPS Essay By Michael R. Winther Equality and Liberty: Friends or Foes? Equality is an often-cited virtue in our society, but depending on how we define equality, it may be more vice than virtue. What exactly is the equality that we think we value? Before we say that we favor equality, we must first determine what we want to be equal. What does it mean to say that we want equality for mankind? Do we want everyone to be of equal height, equal intelligence, equal talent, or equal wealth? An important premise: human beings have unequal talents Biological equality … Read More
Five Principles
An IPS Essay By Michael R. Winther, President of the Institute for Principle Studies Five Principles At this time in our nation’s history, it is increasingly difficult to write about a political or economic issue without invoking some reference to our faltering economy and the increasingly enormous government bailout expenditures. These economic circumstances represent an excellent opportunity for teaching the principles of good government, so I want to add some important principle analysis to these events. Most of my readers are very familiar with the “$700 billion” legislation that authorized the federal government to bail out failing financial institutions, but … Read More
In Defense of Speculation
By Michael R. Winther, President An IPS essay, published September 2008 In Defense of Speculation Whenever there is a shortage of any particular commodity, the media is sure to draw our attention to profits being made by “greedy speculators” who reap their windfalls while the ordinary citizens struggle to survive. The recent run-up in the prices of crude oil and gasoline has, predictably, resulted in calls for regulations to limit the activities of speculators in the oil market. Should we allow government to “protect” us from this speculation? Let’s take a deeper look. Let me start by saying that the … Read More