How the New York Bill of Rights Helped Lead to the U.S. Bill of Rights
John Lansing, Jr. used the New York Bill of Rights as one basis for the proposed constitutional amendments drafted by James Madison.
President Biden’s Transfer of other People’s Debts to You
“Abolition of debts . . . or . . . any other improper or wicked project . . . .” — James Madison, Federalist No. 10
Why Madison’s 1800 Report is Irrelevant to the Constitutional Debate Over Immigration
For many reasons, you shouldn’t try to recreate the Constitution’s original meaning from sources arising after the Constitution was adopted.
The Founders and the Constitution, Part 3: James Madison
Madison was the most important single individual in the Constitution’s formation.
The ideas that formed the Constitution, Part 4: the pioneers: Socrates, Xenophon, Plato
Some Federalists expressed pride in the Constitution precisely because they considered it more reality-based than Plato’s “Republic.”
Governor DeSantis, the raid on Trump, and the rule of law—Part II
DeSantis has just helped educate us on the rule of law. For that he deserves our gratitude.
Understanding the Constitution: How the document was composed
In drafting the U.S. Constitution, the framers composed a document unique for its balance and beauty.
Although Chief Justice Roberts’ Dissent in the Arizona Legislature Case Cited My Research, I Actually Agree With the Majority!
In my last post, I discussed the effect on Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Comm’n. In this post, I explain why the Arizona case was decided correctly. Some people may be surprised that I think the holding was correct. I’m politically […]
The greatest constitutional document of all
This article was first published in The American Thinker. It is said that no second heir to the British throne has been named John because of the reputation of the first. King John (reigned: 1199-1216) could be charming and efficient, but he was ruthless and utterly untrustworthy, and several times he drove his subjects to […]
Book Review: James Madison: A Life Reconsidered, by Lynn Cheney (Viking, 2014)
After some truly painful reading experiences, I’ve become skeptical of history books written by celebrities. Lynn Cheney is the wife of former Vice President Dick Cheney and thus our former Second Lady. She certainly counts as a celebrity. I was, therefore, skeptical of her new biography, James Madison: A Life Reconsidered. But she won me […]
Struggling With Nullification
Does a state have the right to nullify federal statutes the state considers unconstitutional? This depends largely on how you define “nullification.” It also depends on what you mean by “right” and what kind of document you understand the Constitution to be. In other words, it depends on your premises. Unfortunately, people often discuss—and debate, […]
Madison and the Amendments Convention: A New Chapter in a Brand New Book
A new book, edited by Professor Neil H. Cogan, has just been issued in which well-known constitutional scholars from across the political spectrum explore issues of state interposition, nullification, and secession. I am among the contributors: I wrote the second chapter, which is entitled James Madison and the Constitution’s Convention for Proposing Amendments. The book […]
