Constitution: The Founders on the Limits of Parchment Barriers
The Founding Fathers understood that written laws alone cannot protect liberty. They warned that the Constitution could, like other documents before it, become a mere “parchment barrier,” easily ignored by those in power. Leading figures like Roger Sherman, John...
Was Shays’ Rebellion Overblown? The Debate Over the Constitution
“Never let a good crisis go to waste” isn’t just some modern invention by people who want to expand government power. It seems to be an approach used to convince people of the need to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new Constitution in 1787. Even James...
Understand the Real Meaning of the Necessary and Proper Clause
The Necessary and Proper Clause is arguably the most misunderstood and abused clause in the Constitution. During the ratification debates, Anti-Federalists, and even one of the primary drafters of the clause, warned that the wording was ambiguous and it would be...