“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
Forget schoolhouse history. James Madison exposed a much deeper truth about the American Revolution. It wasn’t just “taxation without representation.” He argued that the real fight was over fundamental principles: the colonists’ right to local,...
You’ll often hear the term “states’ rights” thrown around. When I use that term (and I really don’t like to) somebody will invariably respond, “States can’t have rights. Only people have rights.” You know what?...
For the last 100 years, most Americans have assumed the federal court system, and ultimately the Supreme Court, stands as the final arbiter in any constitutional controversy. But who made the federal courts king? The Constitution certainly didn’t. Take a moment and go...
Most Americans reflexively assume the federal government has absolute control over immigration matters. But James Madison’s response to America’s first immigration crisis casts doubt on this idea. In fact, “the Father of the Constitution,”...
The words “provide for the common defense and general welfare” rank among the most abused phrases in the Constitution. I often refer to this as the “anything and everything clause.” Partisans on both the political left and right use...