Category — Constitution

The Founders feared an overly powerful government. Governments govern ... which means they exercise power. George Washington may have said it best, “Government is not reason: It is not eloquence, it is Force, like fire it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.” James Madison chimed in by adding, “The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.”   Read the rest of this entry »

The Fall 2011 issue of the Claremont Review of Books contains a fascinating article by Hadley Arkes, entitled, A Natural Law Manifesto. In it, Arkes lays out a compelling argument for the use of Natural Law in adjudicating Constitutional issues. One of the topics discussed in the article is the mistaken reliance on the doctrine of "original intent," by conservative jurists.   Read the rest of this entry »

Amy Lutz of the blog, The Young Federalist, guest posts at WWTFT. Ignorance might be bliss in the short run, but enables tyranny in the long term. If we are ever to stop the ever over-reaching authority of the federal government from expanding exponentially, we must first look at ourselves. Americans must wield the power of knowledge and use it to prevent intellectual servitude.   Read the rest of this entry »

The Founders believed that the Constitution was a legally binding agreement between Americans and their government. Here are some quotes contrasting the views of some of the document's framers with that of some politicos of more recent times.   Read the rest of this entry »

While all three volumes of Britannica's Separation of Powers series do a credible job of explaining the evolution of each branch of government, the treatment of individual jurists, legislators, and executives is not always even handed. Many of the discussions display a subtle, but discernible lack of objectivity.   Read the rest of this entry »

Our forefathers bequeathed to us more than a republic. They willed to us an enduring constitution that incorporates more thought and brainpower than any document ever written by man. After fifty-five convention delegates worked ceaselessly for four months, three million people argued about it for up to two years, then it was ratified by conventions of the people, and after it was put in force, Congress immediately acceded to popular demand by proposing ten amendments that restricted the government from abridging the rights of the governed.   Read the rest of this entry »

An incredibly prescient letter from Madison to Jefferson, in which Madison offers his observations on the dangers of a tyrannical majority in a democratic system. Madison explains his views on the proposed Bill of Rights and one of the reasons for his reticence was simply because he didn't care for all those who supported it! "At the same time I have never thought the omission [of a Bill of Rights] a material defect, nor been anxious to supply it even by subsequent amendment, for any other reason than that it is anxiously desired by others."   Read the rest of this entry »

“Let it be known that British liberties are not the grants of princes and parliaments.” John Adams

Bills of rights were not new at the time of the Founding.  The 1215 Magna Carta forced King John to respect specified rights, …

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No other group at no other time could have done what the creators of the Constitution did. Exceptional men and scoundrels not withstanding, the real greatness of the Founders was in their totality.   Read the rest of this entry »

Perhaps the most telling response came from Bachman who, in a rallying call to the conservative faithful, said this was the year when conservatives do not have to “settle.” Her meaning being that with a floundering president, a principled conservative can be elected. Unfortunately, it's not clear that there is such a candidate on the field.   Read the rest of this entry »