Understanding the Constitution: Income taxes, other taxes & the 16th Amendment

Congress could impose income taxes before the 16th amendment.
Did Obamacare Violate the Constitution’s Origination Clause? No. . . and Yes
Note: This a modified version of an article that appeared at The American Thinker. Two years ago, the Supreme Court declared Obamacare’s penalty for failure to purchase conforming insurance to be a “tax.” Several plaintiffs subsequently sued in federal court arguing that the penalty is invalid for violating the Constitution’s Origination Clause. The Origination Clause […]
The Dark Side of Hobby Lobby: Contraceptive Coverage as a ‘Compelling Government Interest’
Note: This item originally appeared at the website of The American Thinker. The Hobby Lobby case is being hailed by freedom advocates as a great victory. On balance it certainly it is a victory for those who value personal freedom. But it also contains land mines that may one day prove destructive to freedom. One […]
Shut 'Er Down!
Two stories in today’s Denver Post show how cynically the mainstream media are playing the story about what they misleadingly call a “government shutdown.” Of course, it’s really not a shutdown, just a slowdown—more on that below. And in our constitutional system the states, not the feds, are the primary line of government. The states […]
Contraceptives and Catholic hospitals: The primary issue is Obamacare, not the First Amendment
Does the mandate forcing Catholic hospitals to offer abortifacients and contraception violate the First Amendment? The surprising answer is: Probably not. True, there are serious moral and political issues inherent in requiring religious institutions to offer “treatments” they find theologically offensive. But, despite the claims of many Catholic and conservative commentators, the U.S. Department of […]