Article II
Deciphering the Commander-in-Chief Clause
The Constitution designates the president as the commander in chief of the “Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States.” A common view is that this gives the president...
What Does the Constitution Mean by “Natural Born Citizen?”
The Constitution says that only a “natural born citizen” may be president. Throughout history, political partisans have accused opposing candidates of not being “natural born citizens” and thus disqualified. Opponents alleged that President Chester Alan Arthur (R.)...
Benjamin Franklin Speech Exposes the Inherent Danger of Power and Money
On June 2, 1787, Benjamin Franklin delivered a speech at the Philadelphia Convention opposing a provision in the proposed Constitution to pay the president a salary. The speech reveals some important aspects of human nature that we should keep in mind today. Franklin...
Is the Nomination of Amy Coney Barrett Unconstitutional?
On Oct. 10, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden claimed that nominating and potentially approving Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court during election season was “not constitutional.” You might think Biden knows what he’s talking about. Trained as a lawyer,...