Constitution
How the Founders Explained Limits on the Federal Government
“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.” – James Madison, Federalist No. 45 Current controversy over the power of President...
Missing the Marque: Reviving a Forgotten Constitutional Clause
Fortunately, there is a means of exposing suspected terrorists to justice, even when they are hiding out in nations that refuse to extradite them to the United States for that purpose. Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the Constitution authorizes Congress to “grant...
John Taylor’s Forgotten Warning about Judges Rewriting the Constitution.
“It is … the natural enemy of our home-bred form of government, and ought to awaken the resistance of all legislative and judicial departments, and the detestation of every person not enriched by this ruinous commerce.” That warning came from John Taylor of...
First State of the Union: George Washington’s Blueprint Betrayed
“A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined.” January 8, 1790. George Washington walked into the Senate Chamber of Federal Hall in New York City and delivered his first annual message to a joint session of Congress. Today, we call it the State of the...