by P.A. Deacon | Jun 11, 2017 | Eleven Years, Foreign Policy, Founders, Patrick Henry, War, War Powers
Apologists for the state often argue that criticism of the federal government must not encroach on national defense and foreign affairs. This is particularly true of Republicans, but Democrats are increasingly arguing in favor of a unitary presidency; especially as... 
by P.A. Deacon | Mar 5, 2017 | Book and Movie Reivews, Eleven Years, Foreign Policy, War, War Powers
War is a vehicle for federal power. Wars and threats of war create opportunities for the federal government to centralize military, economic, and political authority. This is clearly laid out in Walter Karp’s absorbing book The Politics of War: The Story of Two Wars... 
by P.A. Deacon | Oct 15, 2016 | Eleven Years, Foreign Policy, War, War Powers
Who was the last American Presidential candidate to campaign on a pro-war platform? No major party candidate, in my lifetime, explicitly campaigned to lead the military into an offensive war. Interventionists from the left and right always argue that the wars of the... 
by P.A. Deacon | Oct 6, 2016 | Eleven Years, Federal Power, Federal Programs, Foreign Policy, War, War Powers
On a superficial level, it would seem America’s wars only affect people and places outside the country’s borders – in the land where the war is waged. However, this is a misguided understanding ignoring the downstream effects of war. In truth, the warfare state and... 
by Dave Benner | May 24, 2016 | Constitution 101, Eleven Years, Foreign Policy, Thomas Jefferson, War Powers, War Powers
Famously, President Thomas Jefferson’s first inaugural address articulated his philosophical manifesto: “Peace, commerce, and friendship with all nations – entangling alliances with none.” These basic maxims were stressed repeatedly by Jefferson, who cherished a... 
by Ben Lewis | Jul 8, 2014 | Eleven Years, Foreign Policy, Founding Fathers, Founding Principles, War Powers
I recently saw a statement that said “900 (military) bases in 153 countries is not fighting for your freedom. It is an empire.” While most Americans wouldn’t think of the United States as such, the evidence is hard to dispute. In 2012, the U.S. spent $646 billion on...