These essays are a bit dated, but they are worth reviewing if for no other reason than for enjoying a logical discourse. The latter, of course, is absent in our society's, reliance on instant analysis and "gotcha" sound bites taken out of context. Print media appears to be dying, and its replacement – on-line blogs, social and cable broadcast – are offensive, trivial and undisciplined. Unfortunately, they also are shaping our society, something any thoughtful person should scorn and resist. The Summer's Seminar resulted from a grant by the Evangelical Lutheran Chuch of America (ELCA). The ELCA has 28 colleges, at one of which I was a faulty member for several years. It was quite an experience, and I was able to hone my teaching skills during this time. The college itself was at the time ambivalent about itself, torn between a longing for its past and fearful of its future. As a consequence, policy decisions by the administrators invariably were hesitant, vacillatory and contradictory. This series of essays appeared first as a set of seminars that were both well attended by faculty and administrators and well received by both groups. Whether they made a lasting impression of not, I cannot say. The two papers about reorganizing the Congress were required for completion of a certificate program on congressional operations. I had the good fortune to be a part of this program during my final stint with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It's a good program conducted by Georgetown University and primarily oriented to government employees. Notwithstanding that, every citizen would benefit from it. The Federal government structure and its operations are complex, as these papers indicate. So far, there is no incentive to reduce their complexity other than pressure exerted by the electorate. This is a fleeting phenomenom, all too often misunderstood by our elected officials. Other works will be added from time to time. 
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