Founding Principles
One reason judges make mistakes about the Constitution
Many Americans complain when the courts allow Congress and federal officials to violate the Constitution. Why does that happen? There are several reasons, but here’s one that few people appreciate: Often when judges are called on to interpret a word or phrase in the...
Constitutional Genealogy: The New England Confederation of 1643
The foundational ideas underlying the Constitution took root long before the founders drafted the document. In fact, they began to take root in the earliest days of American colonialization. The Constitution was the culmination of a radical shift in political thought....
Did the Constitution Fail the People? Or Did the People Fail the Constitution?
Did the Constitution fail? A lot of people think it did. This popular quote by Lysander Spooner sums up the thoughts of many. “But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain – that it has either authorized such a government as we...
Today in History: Benjamin Franklin Introduces Plan for American Confederation
On this date in 1775, Benjamin Franklin introduced in the Second Continental Congress a formal plan for a confederation of the American colonies. Franklin introduced his plan, “The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union,” nearly a year before...