Constitution 101
Was the Bill of Rights Meant to Apply to the States?
Was the Bill of Rights originally intended to apply to the state governments? Some people argue that it was. They concoct some interesting arguments based on “rules of construction” or approach it through various philosophies of rights and liberty they attribute to...
Fourth Amendment: The History Behind “Unreasonable”
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing...
Obama’s Syria Airstrikes are an Unconstitutional War
Pres. Obama and his team have been playing twister with legal arguments for bombing Syria without an express declaration of war from Congress. Those changing arguments are all wrong, and the attacks on Syria – like so many wars before it – are wildly...
2nd Amendment: Original Meaning and Purpose
When the Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, federalists claimed the new government would only have limited powers expressly delegated to it. This wasn’t enough for anti-federalists like George Mason, who wanted explicit guarantees to certain rights...