Originalism has been the prevailing method of documentary interpretation in English and American law for at least five centuries.
Real originalism (not the cartoon version some love to attack) explained Read More »
North Carolinians repeatedly—both in official and unofficial documents—referred to an Article V convention as a “convention of the states.”
New information on the Constitution’s ratification—Part IV North Carolina Read More »
In the 20th century, the Supreme Court cited McCulloch to uphold unprecedented federal spending and regulatory programs. Law school constitutional law courses sometimes treat McCulloch the same way. . . . [But] this approach is the product of historical ignorance.
Why McCulloch v. Maryland—now 200 years old—is not a ‘big government’ manifesto Read More »
Unfortunately, the new House rules fall far short of even minimal due process standards.
Impeachment inquiry rules skewed heavily against the President Read More »
As the framers did with so many other decisions, in allocating authority between states and federal government they balanced competing values.
A leading Founder pointed out that authority to regulate commerce did not include power to compel it.
More evidence that the Obamacare insurance mandate was unconstitutional Read More »
Rebutting discredited charges against the Constitution and the Founders
Video: Rob Natelson rebuts falsehoods spread about our Constitution Read More »
When weighing whether to impeach a sitting president, we consider how other presidents have acted. It is regrettable but true that many Presidents have routinely played fast and loose with the truth, acted incompetently, and used their office to attack political opponents.
What the Constitution says about impeachment Read More »
In fact . . . the claim that slaveholders adopted the Constitution is substantially false.
Why recent attacks on the Constitution are wrong Read More »
For many members of Congress . . . almost their only job experience has been politics. They can hardly understand how the rest of us live.
How to reform our dysfunctional federal government Read More »
. . . [A]ctivities over which the Constitution granted the federal government little or no jurisdiction [included] social services . . . education, religion, real estate, local businesses, most roads and other infrastructure, nearly all criminal law matters, and most civil court cases.
How our Constitution was supposed to work: new evidence comes to light Read More »
The framers modeled the Electoral College on indirect election systems then prevailing in Scotland and Maryland, in which elector discretion was pivotal.
Independence Institute helps win court ruling protecting presidential electors Read More »
