“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
The states are “duty bound to interpose.” That’s how James Madison put it in his Virginia Resolutions, passed Dec 21 and 24, 1798, against the Alien and Sedition acts. They answer a timeless question: What should be done when the federal government oversteps its...
On his very last day in office, James Madison shocked Congress by vetoing an infrastructure bill – even though he supported the idea behind it. Madison refused to sign off on the measure, saying it didn’t follow the strict limits of the Constitution, even if it...
The wisest part of the Constitution – James Madison specifically singled out one clause where he said the most wisdom is found. And what a surprise – not only is his view completely ignored today, the clause itself has been twisted into exactly what he...
Think the American Revolution was just about taxes and tea parties? Think again. The real battle was over a much deeper issue: the colonists’ unwavering belief in their right to local, self-government vs a British claim of unlimited power. James Madison called...
Imagine a United States where a national government holds almost absolute power over the states, with the authority to veto any state law and even send in troops to enforce its will. This was the audacious vision of James Madison, the man we know as the “Father...
Born March 16, 1751 – the “father of the Constitution” had plenty to say about the system he was so influential in creating – and how to enforce it when the government gets out of line. Path to Liberty, Fast Friday Edition: March 15, 2024...