A Blog on McConnell Center Life

{Gregg's Bookshelf Recommendation} Russell Kirk: Surprised by the Foundations of Conservatism By  Gary L. Gregg, Ph.D Gary L. Gregg, Ph.D This fall marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Russell Kirk, someone who has been very influential in my life and whose family and home are vital aspects of the McConnell Scholar experience. In this time of great political divisions and ideological confusion, it would do everyone well to spend some time with Russell Kirk. Conservatives will find a vision that has largely been abandoned and so will find Kirk new and profound; Progressives will be surprised by sharing some core values with Kirk while being edified by seeing the very foundations of thoughtful and imaginative conservatism. Born in Plymouth, Michigan on Oct. 19, 1918, Kirk's first important book was published in 1953 as  The Conservative Mind .  Before this book hit America’s political culture, there were those who were resisting the New Deal, those who were ...

Eric Bush ('20) Is it acceptable to hunt endangered animals if you purchase an expensive permit which will ultimately fund their conservation? Should cities sell out advertising space on every inch of wall in a subway station? Or, should you be able to pay someone to stand in line for you for a Congressional hearing? In his book,  What Money Can’t Buy, The Moral Limits of Markets,  Michael Sandel considers questions such as these as he argues that we’ve moved from a having a market economy to becoming a  market society . I first heard of Sandel’s book, ironically, in another book. In Evan Osnos’  Age of Ambition,  a journalistic narrative of modern China, Osnos writes that Sandel is able to fill up arenas across China with his message about the moral limits of materialism. I was excited to read this book as part of the UofL Center for Free Enterprise’s reading group. Sandel poses this central question: at what point does the introduction of money demean...

--> Garret Kasey ('19) This summer, I had the opportunity to work as an intern for the Kentucky YMCA Youth Association. I greatly enjoyed my time with the non-profit, and I look forward to volunteering with many of their programs throughout the year. Although I learned countless lessons while on the job, I want to divulge the lessons I learned about routine, planning, and responsibility in what many people call “the real world.”             Prior to this internship, I had only worked on a relatively flexible and sporadic schedule. The typical work hours of nine to five provided me with new challenges and benefits. I hope the lessons I’ve learned will provide some insight to any new college or high school students who have not been able to work on a rigid schedule. 1.      Make sure to get enough sleep: College students often complain about pulling all-nighters and surviving on little ...