Who Made the Supreme Court King?
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...
James Madison and the First American Immigration Crisis
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,”...
“General Welfare” and “Common Defense” Explained by James Madison
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...