Governor Justice Calls a Special Session On September 30, Governor Jim Justice called the legislature to convene for a special session. The initial call had 27 items for lawmakers to address. The call was then amended twice, bringing items of business up to 40. Supplemental appropriations to a wide variety of agencies and associated services…

Ruminating on the Purpose of the Cardinal Institute The Cardinal Institute’s 10th anniversary is fast approaching, so I have been thinking a lot about the organization’s history, future, accomplishments, missteps, missed opportunities, wins, and losses. I have also been thinking quite a lot about the Cardinal Institute’s purpose. We could take the standard approach by…

Two Kinds of Accountability in Education Accountability in education is a complicated thing. There are two distinct types: fiscal accountability and academic accountability. To make matters more complicated, there’s the overlap—where fiscal facts impact academic outcomes. Suffice it to say, that sorting this out in any school environment is a mess.  But let’s set aside…

Don’t hit that back button or close this tab! You have not somehow stumbled upon a carpentry forum when you were previously browsing the Cardinal Institute’s Cardinal’s Nest Blog. You are still in your familiar repository for all things Montani Semper Liberi. So why are we talking about floors and ceilings? As the 2024 presidential…

Fall is Nature's Elegy September 22 marks the close of the bright season of the summer, commencing the start of fall with earlier sunsets, chilled air, and warm palettes of once-green leaves crinkling into rustic, hickory tones. As Paul Laurence Dunbar lyrically depicts in the following portion of his 1896 poem, “Merry Autumn,” he encourages…

It Can Be Hard Being From West Virginia If you’re a regular reader of the Cardinal’s Nest blog or general follower of our work here at the Cardinal Institute, you’re likely a member of the special club that’s always known that West Virginia is a hidden gem, a diamond in the rough, or one of…

Presidential Debates & Civility As I wait with bated breath to see how this evening’s presidential debate goes down, I can’t help but think about what the presidency is, what it stands for, and how far afield we seem to have gone. Growing up, my household had a firm rule — no bad-mouthing presidential candidates.…

On Monday, Let Them Rest; On Tuesday, Let Them Work Happy Labor Day! I hope that your long weekend and the unofficial end of Summer were filled with all that Labor Day usually has to offer: barbecues, parades, and of course, football. My family and I traveled from Columbus, OH to my hometown of Man,…

Civil Discourse in the K-12 Classroom Last week I had the great privilege of being invited as a guest to a teaching conference in Washington DC. It was an impressive event. The theme of this conference was civil discourse, and for their part, the hosts did a great job of displaying various perspectives on a…

Reactions to J.D. Vance's Nomination for VP Are Pouring In After J.D. Vance was nominated for Vice President of the United States by the Republican Party at their convention in July 2024, reactions started pouring in from across the political spectrum. This is to be expected, J.D. Vance is running for the job of second-most…