Constitution 101
Evidence on the Powers the Constitution Leaves Exclusively to the States
The Constitution enumerates the powers of the federal government. But has anyone listed the exclusive powers of statesโthe realm the federal government may not invade without violating the Constitution? When discussing state authority, the Founders usually pointed out...
The Union: Who Made It?
John Taylor, of Caroline County Virginia, was the preeminent theorist of Jeffersonian Old Republicanism. He was a strong advocate of individual and states rights in the face of the growing power of the federal government (โtyrannyโ) and opposed increased tariffs and...
What is an “Excise?”
Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 of the Constitution reads as follows: The Congress shall have Power [1] To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the Common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties,...
The Original Meaning of the Necessary and Proper Clause
The legislative powers of Congress are few in number and specifically enumerated in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. The final enumeration, known as the Necessary and Proper clause, is unique. Unlike the other legislative powers, it does not describe an...