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A battle rages in America over marijuana laws. On one hand, more than half of the states have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use (or both). However, marijuana remains strictly illegal under federal law, with stiff penalties for violations.
Read moreRecently I was fortunate to visit the ancient Temple Church in London, built in the 12th century by the Knights Templar. The church is relevant here because it was the location of one of the earliest demands for due process of law. In January 1215, a group of English barons confronted King John and asked that he recognize certain fundamental rights. Among those was the great right of due process: the barons demanded that the crown not imprison them or take their property without first following the customary legal procedures that were “due” to them. Six month later, at Runnymede, the King agreed to the Barons’ demands and signed the Magna Carta.
Read moreBy Ben Lenhart The Mueller investigation into alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign provides a helpful springboard to
Read moreBy Ben Lenhart The Constitution protects religious freedom for all Americans in two important ways. First, the government can’t create
Read moreFreedom of Religion protects all Americans whether they are deeply religious, atheist, or somewhere in between. The Constitution contains two guarantees of religious freedom.
Read moreBy Ben Lenhart Equal protection ranks among America’s most important constitutional rights. It protects Americans from being treated unequally by
Read morePatriots fought the America Revolution for many reasons, not least of which was an intense desire to escape the rule of a distant king—George III. In fact, Americans were so opposed to the idea of a king that they didn’t include an independent president in the government created under our first constitution—the Articles of Confederation. However, it soon became apparent that a government without a president or comparable leader was insufficient for the needs of the new and growing America. Many, including James Madison and Alexander Hamilton (see for example the Federalist Papers #70) came to believe that a strong president was needed to “take the reins of government,” enforce the laws, and help steer the country forward. With its many flaws, the Articles of Confederation lasted less than 10 years before being replaced by our current Constitution.
Read moreAmerica is an exceptional country. While we still have important problems to overcome, America remains the leader of the free world, and immigrants continue to risk everything for a chance to create a new life in America. Why? What is the “secret sauce” of America’s stunning success over the centuries? While there are many factors, the Constitution plays a central role in America’s well-being. Throughout our history three key features of the Constitution, working together, have served as guardrails on the road to prosperity: democracy, individual rights and the rule of law.
Read moreFreedom of Speech: No right is more fundamental to the very idea of what it means to be an American. Liberty is at the heart of the Constitution, and freedom of speech is at the heart of liberty. The right to “speak your mind”—even if that means strongly criticizing our political leaders or their policies—is more entrenched and protected in the U.S. than in most other countries. This article looks at the history of free speech and where we stand today.
Read moreBy Ben Lenhart In today’s world, the Constitution is more relevant than ever, with almost daily headlines in many
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