Articles in The Tennessean
How to Sustain a Constitutional Democracy: The Legacy of Judge Gilbert S. Merritt
This opinion essay memorializes the life and legacy of Judge Gilbert S. Merritt, Eli Merritt's father. Serving on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals for 44 years, Judge Merritt believed that the success of American democracy is rooted not only in an intelligent Constitution and sound institutions but in an active citizenry imbued with a spirit of justice, truth, and self-sacrifice for the greater good. On the question of how to sustain a constitutional democracy, the judge counseled others to rouse the spirit of Washington, Madison, Churchill, FDR, Lincoln, and MLK, among other historical figures who were willing to give their lives and fortunes for our liberties. “Liberty and the democratic spirit,“ he often said, “must exist within the hearts of the people.” Judge Merritt believed these values must be handed down faithfully from one generation to the next because, without them, a democracy may be quickly lost.
How George Washington Would Fix Partisan Politics Today
This op-ed in The Tennessean casts new light on Washington's political talents as revealed in the Newburgh Conspiracy and his First Farewell Address in 1783. Washington's two-part prescription for politics in the 21st century would be the same as in the 1780s: 1) the rule of law and 2) emotional intelligence.