Caveat emptor. Seize the day. Or as Rahm Emanuel famously said, "You never want a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before." The tragic shooting in Las Vegas has created yet another serious crisis, and politicians are already tripping..
Read moreIt’s Time to Break Up the Government Monopoly
People all over the world love to play Monopoly. As of 2013, Hasbro had sold more than 275 million Monopoly games in 111 countries. The game-maker produces it in 43 different languages. San Francisco jeweler Sidney Mobell created a version the game valued at $2 million, featuring a 23-karat gold board and diamond studded dice...
Read moreConstitutionally, Trump’s Opinion on Afghanistan Shouldn’t Matter
As a candidate, Pres. Trump called the war in Afghanistan "futile" and pledged to pull the U.S. out of the quagmire. But in a recent speech, the president announced a plan committed to extending and deepening U.S. military involvement in that country. Trump said he was now convinced “a hasty withdrawal would create a vacuum for..
Read moreHow the Federal Fight Against Sanctuary Cities Undermines the Constitution
We all need to fight the temptation to abandon constitutional principles when they conflict with our policy preferences. I recently appeared on a radio show to talk about the Tenth Amendment and nullification. The conversation moved along marvelously as I explained Madison's blueprint, and how state and local governments can thwart unwarrantable federal actions (and..
Read moreMaine Governor Wants Feds to Bring the Hammer Down on His Own State
Gov. Paul LePage is doing it wrong. Instead of protecting the people of Maine from overreaching and unconstitutional federal overreach, he's begging the feds to trample on his state's sovereignty. You see, the Republican governor doesn't like marijuana. And he doesn't like the fact that the people of his state voted to legalize weed. He wants..
Read moreThe Constitution: A Tool for Decentralization and Liberty (Video-Speech)
On July 18, I spoke at the Libertarian Party of Kentucky District 3 meeting in Louisville, Ky. and explained why I believe the Constitution is so important. In a word - decentralization. (more…)
Read moreThoughts from Maharrey Head #98: Fourth of July Fireworks and Nullification
"10 Minutes Closer to Freedom" In this episode of Thoughts from Maharrey Head, I talk about how my Independence Day fireworks experience demonstrates the power of nullification. Despite all of the successes we've had at the Tenth Amendment Center over the last few years, whenever I talk about nullification, somebody wants to argue, "It will..
Read moreJames Madison and the Necessary and Proper Clause
"Necessary and proper" ranks among the most abused clauses in the Constitution. It has been dubbed the "elastic clause" because of the perception that it allows the scope of federal power to expand. The federal government began abusing this clause within years of ratification. In 1800, James Madison countered these early abuses, forcefully arguing that..
Read moreConstitution 101: The Supremacy Clause and the Bill of Rights
Many Americans believe the Bill of Rights apply to state and local governments. Most who hold this position rely on the 14th Amendment and the "incorporation doctrine" to support their position. But some proponents of using federal power to restrict state and local actions through the Bill of Rights use tortured legal reasoning to argue..
Read moreConstitution 101: The Preamble
For many Americans, knowledge of the Constitution begins and ends with the preamble. A lot of you probably even memorized it at some point in school. I suppose you could laud the educational system for at least acknowledging the existence of America's governing document. But unfortunately, all of the focus on the preamble has done..
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