Constitution
The Constitutional Case For Gridlock
These days, it is common to hear people criticize government on the basis that it “can’t get anything done.” Partisan gridlock is often raised as a culprit, and it is almost universally condemned by all sides. But the founders valued partisan gridlock as a roadblock...
What Criminal Laws are Congress Authorized To Make?
The Constitution grants to Congress only limited powers to make criminal laws. These powers fall into five categories: a) those made pursuant to express authorizations for four specific crimes; b) those made under the “necessary and proper” clause; c) those made for...
The Nationalists Lost in 1787
Some have insisted that the result of the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 was a document that provided the federal government with a massive amount of centralized power. This assertion maintains that the nationalists won the political debates and squabbles, creating a...
Letters of Marque and Reprisal: An Introduction
Several times during his tenure as a Congressman, Ron Paul suggested using letters of marque and reprisal to seize property and exact harm upon Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda officials. Offering a bill in October of 2001, Paul’s suggestion would have allowed:...