Patrick T. Brown

If you, like countless* others, like the idea of a Friday newsletter with some #takes + a little roundup about all that's fit to print in the world of pro-family policy (construed expansively), you'll want to sign up: PTBwrites.substack.com *they can, actually, be counted

Well, higher education had a good run

“Project Hail Mary” is an “E.T.” for our times — smart, funny, unabashedly sentimental, thrilling and full of heart. I wanted to wrap my arms around this movie. Ryan Gosling is brilliant as an ordinary man on an extraordinary journey. The first great film of 2026.

@megbasham @rkylesmith I actually think it improves on the book a touch by streamlining some of the problem-solution-problem-solution of the middle third. It's funny, thrilling, and beautifully crafted. You'll love it.

@rkylesmith Oh, I’m so glad to hear this, I was praying it would be good

So I'm a big fan of PROJECT HAIL MARY

I'll take those odds.

“To cure young men’s sense of spiritual displacement, we need to prioritize economic and political changes to help more young men feel like the hard work of family life is worth it.” @PTBwrites fairerdisputations.org/revolutionary-…

No, next question.

...as well it should!

It is extremely strange how dedicated the media in a certain city is to pushing this.

Worth keeping an eye on...

NEW FROM THE VATICAN: Today, on the feast of St. Joseph, Pope Leo XIV announced that he is asking the presidents of all bishops conferences around the world to convene in Rome in October to renew and deepen the Church’s discussion on marriage and family in light of Amoris Laetitia. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Earlier this week, I traveled to South Bend, Indiana to say goodbye to a mentor, leader, legend, and a dear friend of more than 30 years — the legendary Coach Lou Holtz. Thirty-three years ago, as Cotton Bowl Queen, I first met this College Football Hall of Famer at the freezing cold 1993 game — Aggies v. Irish. Although my Aggies ran out of time that game, what began that day became a lifelong friendship with one of America’s greatest men: a devoted husband and father, faithful Christian, and quiet hero who coached not only championship teams but also worked relentlessly to help coach our nation itself back to greatness. Coach Holtz lived by the words, “God did not put us on this earth to be ordinary.” Even in his later years, he was still working, still leading, helping me launch the America First Policy Institute, which he called the most important team he’d ever joined. He served our country with the same discipline and faith he brought to the sidelines. Two more recent memories — another Aggie v. Irish matchup last fall — he promised me he would be there and we would once again be cheering our teams on, together. And he fulfilled that promise (an almost miraculous Aggie win this time he would say). What an honor to be on the field with him that day before he was honored. And then again in November at Mar-a-Lago for the 5th AFPI Gala, where he told me it would be his final appearance. I hugged him long and hard that day knowing Coach never failed at keeping his promises. It was the last time I would see him. After that, in the final days, we talked on the phone a lot, just calling to tell him that I loved him and we would someday be together again, chirping over which team was better that season. I also told him I knew he was so excited to finally reunite with his beloved Beth again, whom he always told me about with a huge twinkle in his eye. Thank you, Coach, for your life, your example, and your faith. I will miss you forever. I won’t let you down. 💔 My piece for @realDailyWire here. dailywire.com/news/rememberi…

Always tricky to call the top, but this is quite a cover

The Vatican has called for an end to surrogacy worldwide, saying that it risks reducing children to “commodified products” and women to “service providers”. churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2026/…

@efmahf @thedispatch I obviously wouldn't suggest someone get married *just* for the nursing home visitors, but it's also the case some people might be underrating the downsides of a life lived alone into their silver years and not put as much effort into it when the odds are more in their favor!

@thedispatch @PTBwrites Great article so I feel bad nitpicking, but "fewer nursing home visitors" is a terrible reason to get married and have kids.

Marriage Got Better—So Why Is It Disappearing? Desirable traits in a partner have less to do with finances and more to do with interpersonal skills. Some men are struggling to keep up. | @PTBWrites thedispatch.com/article/marria…

Every @MLB team should let fans enter the ballpark in time to watch home BP, even if you block off the rest of the park and only let them in the outfield bleachers. Guarantee you make up in add'l concessions sales what the extra hour of staffing costs and create memories for kids

"Her polyamory is just the coastal lib version of being a tradwife." 🔥🔥

@nicoleaube The 1st part of your tweet makes sense, but I don't think the 2nd follows. Promoting young men with families (by definition) wouldn't help young men without families look any more appealing, unless your claim is that the *prospect* of future rewards would make them look better?

@TPCarney Jk jk jk 😅 @lymanstoneky has the polymath's ability to issue more hot takes than you can shake a stick at while also delving into methodological questions with a skeptical eye -- it's very useful to be able to black-hat even our own "team" sometimes, I'm glad he did it!

If you've seen people writing up the working paper on optimism and fertility from Piano+Makridis, work through Lyman's thread here. Some very good considerations, thoughtfully expressed.