James Madison
Who Decides? The Founders’ Forgotten System of Checks and Balances
“There is not a syllable in the constitution, that makes a decision of the judiciary – of its own force, and without regard to its correctness – binding upon any body, either upon the executive, or the people.” That’s from Lysander Spooner, reminding us of...
Duty Bound: James Madison’s Six Principles to Stop Federal Tyranny
The states are “duty bound to interpose.” That’s how James Madison put it in his Virginia Resolutions, passed on Dec 21 and 24, 1798, in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts. His resolutions answer a timeless question: What should be done when the federal...
States vs. Feds: The 10th Amendment Battle Over Conscription in the War of 1812
“The last of all oppressions” That’s how Thomas Jefferson described the military draft. Because of widespread opposition to it, the federal government didn’t actively draft men into the military until the Civil War. But, during the War of 1812, it tried – and...
Integrity over Politics: President Madison’s Final Act to Defend the Constitution
On his last day in office, James Madison delivered what might be history’s most significant – and overlooked – presidential veto. This was in response to the Bonus Bill in 1817 – an infrastructure bill, what they referred to as “internal...