James Madison
We the People: Both the Solution and the Problem
For James Madison, the people of the several states were both the source of all power – and thus the ultimate solution to usurpations – but at the same time, the source of many of the problems due to the tendency towards factions – ultimately leading...
Property Rights are the Foundation of all the Rest
For many of the founders, property rights were the foundation of all the others. James Madison took things even further, arguing that people not only have a right to property, but also a property in their rights – tying property rights, self ownership and all...
Armies and Debts and Taxes. Oh My!
The founders warned us – over and over and over again – about the dangers to liberty from war. As James Madison put it, war gives us armies, which lead to debts and taxes. This trifecta makes up the “known instruments for putting the many under the...
James Madison vs the Pistol Brace Rule
States and individuals can stop the new pistol brace rule – without waiting for the federal government to magically do something it almost never does – limit its own power. It’s going to take hard work – and good strategy. The latter, we’ve got from the...