On June 8, 1789, James Madison addressed the House of Representatives and introduced a proposed Bill of Rights to the Constitution. However, just over a year earlier, Madison wrote another extremely important document.
We hear the term states’ rights thrown around a lot, but most people don’t really know what it means. In this episode of Thoughts from Maharrey Head, I talk about the concept of states’ rights and its importance in the American constitutional system. What do we mean when we use the term states’ rights? Are…
One of the most-maligned parts of the Constitution is the so-called “general welfare" clause.
In this episode of Thoughts from Maharrey Head, I explain a legal principle known as the anti-commandeering doctrine that puts a Supreme Court stamp of approval on James Madison’s blueprint to stop federal overreach through state non-cooperation. Last week, I talked about James Madison’s blueprint to stop federal overreach, involving a refusal to cooperate with…
The Founding Fathers were virtually unanimous in their strong opposition to war as a policy. Few were more adamant about this view than James Madison.
“Without local enforcement, by compliant local authorities, the will of the central government is not much more than hot air.”
At least one leading founding father not only thought it was possible, but considered it the norm.
In this episode of Thoughts from Maharrey Head, I explain the original meaning of the General Welfare Clause. The federal government involves itself in nearly every aspect of American life. Government officials and apologists for governopoly often point the the Constitution’s General Welfare Clause for its justification. They argue that the clause empowers the general…
"Here's the short version. Constitutions don’t enforce themselves. And governments will never limit their own power."
CHARLESTON, W. Va. (March 24, 2016) – The West Virginia House passed a resolution reaffirming the principles of state interposition found in the Virginia Resolutions of 1798. Rep. Gary Howell (R-Mineral) introduced House Resolution 5 (HR5) on Jan. 25. The stated purpose of the resolution is to express the “concern of the House of Delegates…