Today in History: James Madison Vetoes “Bonus Bill” as Unconstitutional
By: Dave Benner Today in 1817, President James Madison vetoed the Bonus Bill of 1817 – a plan that called for the federal construction of various roads, bridges, and canals ...
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The Historical Use of “Red Flag” Laws
By: Rob Natelson Under pressure to “do something” about mass killings, some Republican politicians have followed their Democrat counterparts by endorsing red flag laws. These laws authorize confiscation of firearms ...
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Today in History: 14th Amendment Ratified. Or Was it?
By: Dave Benner Today in 1868, the United States general government claimed that the 14th Amendment had received the endorsement of the requisite number of states to add it to ...
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Today in History: John Adams Signs the Sedition Act
By: Dave Benner Today in 1798, Jeffersonian Republicans celebrated Bastille Day as a partisan holiday. On the same day, President John Adams took this opportunity to sign the Sedition Act ...
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Patrick Henry: “If This Be Treason!”
By: Joe Wolverton II There was a time in our history when one of our finest patriot fathers is said to have waved the saber of “treason” in the face ...
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Ordered Liberty and the Demands of Law
by Adam J. MacLeod Ordered liberty flourishes where people govern themselves according to reason. Self-governing people make—design, craft, and promulgate—law to govern their own and others’ choices and actions. The ...
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Today in History: Enforcement of the Boston Port Act Begins
By: Dave Benner Today in 1774, Britain began enforcement of the Boston Port Act, passed in response to the destruction of the tea a few months earlier. One of the ...
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The Fundamental Rights of American Citizenship: Neither “Natural” nor Constitutionally “Enumerated”
by David Upham What are the “privileges and immunities of citizens of the United States”? In the last week, this blog has featured two originalist answers to this question. According ...
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National Emergency? Which One?
By: Mike Maharrey So, is there a national emergency or no? The president says yes. Congress says no. Here’s the dirty little secret – no matter how things turn out ...
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The Founders’ Understanding of “Invasion”
By: Dave Benner Even by the middle of the 18th century, the English language lacked a widely-used set of standard definitions to English words. While English dictionaries existed, those that ...
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