by jpitney | Jan 6, 2021 | Congress, Constitution, Elections, Electoral College, House of Representatives
We have sworn an oath under God to defend the Constitution. We uphold that oath at all times, not only when it is politically convenient. Congress has no authority to overturn elections by objecting to electors. Doing so steals power from the states & violates the...
by jpitney | Dec 15, 2020 | Constitution
Section 3 of the 14th Amendment: No Person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a...
by jpitney | Oct 30, 2020 | Constitution, Federalism, Separation of Powers
James Wallner at R Street: Madison believed that the Critical Period events were a sign that America was falling into the destructive cycle that befell all previous experiments in self-government. The Greek historian, Polybius, called this phenomenon “the cycle of...
by jpitney | Oct 11, 2020 | Claremont McKenna College, Congress, Constitution
From AEI: In Federalist 51, James Madison argued that as “the legislative authority necessarily predominates,” Congress needs to be divided into two branches to constrain its immense power. Two centuries later, it seems Madison’s fears were unfounded, with both the...
by jpitney | Sep 17, 2020 | Constitution, Elections
For Constitution Day, a talk on elections and the Constitution by Zach Courser: r:
by jpitney | Sep 14, 2020 | Constitution, First Amendment, Freedom of Press, Public Opinion
From the Annenberg Public Policy Center: Americans’ ability to name the five rights protected by the First Amendment has jumped since 2017, when we last asked this question. Their ability to specify some of them more than tripled. Asked to name any of the rights...