Edmund Randolph vs the National Bank
After Congress passed a bill to establish the first national bank in early 1791, President George Washington asked Attorney General Edmund Randolph to prepare an opinion on the bill’s constitutionality. Randolph came down firmly against the measure, arguing that the...
Alexander Hamilton’s “Implied Powers” Wrecked the Constitution
During the ratification debates, supporters of the Constitution insisted that the new general government would only exercise the powers explicitly enumerated in the document. But less than three years after ratification, Alexander Hamilton did a complete 180, suddenly...
Was This the Biggest Political Flip-Flop Ever?
I don’t think anybody is surprised when politicians flip-flop. George H.W. Bush with his “no new taxes” pledge provides a great modern example. But Alexander Hamilton arguably gave us the most damaging, if not the biggest, flip-flop ever when he did a complete 180 on...