Original Meaning


What’s With My Obsession With the Original Meaning of the Constitution?

An emailer asked me an interesting question: what “the obsession with the original intent of the Founders?” There are really two reasons I care about originalism: rule of law and decentralization. One person making the rules for 300+ million is dangerous...

Constitution Day Should Be a Day of Mourning

The federal government can’t even get Constitution Day right. If you ask me, #constitutionday shouldn't be a day of celebration. It should be a day of mourning. @mmaharrey10th pic.twitter.com/hktjvzresi — TenthAmendmentCenter (@TenthAmendment)...

Determining Constitutionality Isn’t That Hard

If you listen to a debate on the constitutionality of some government action, you’ll witness a lot of mental gymnastics. Judging by the argument, you’d think determining constitutionality was really hard. It’s not. "If it's listed in the...

To Understand Federal Power Start With the Right Assumption

When it comes to determining the powers constitutionally delegated to the federal government, most people get the process completely backward. We should always assume that federal power is way less than what politicians claim it is. There, that's a good start....