Topic: James Madison

Opinion: Elena Kagan: Could she defend the Constitution's purpose?

Elena Kagan has shown a troubling willingness to defer to the tyranny of the majority, instead of upholding individual rights.

Classic review: American Creation

Let's be real, urges historian Joseph Ellis. America's founders were neither saints nor sinners.

Rand Paul and the limits of the 'tea party' revolution

Rand Paul, Republican candidate for US Senate from Kentucky, is perhaps the closest thing there is to a 'tea party' candidate. In that light, his recent controversial comments are telling.

Opinion: Elena Kagan and the case for an elitist Supreme Court

The Supreme Court was designed by the Founders to be elitist.

Last Call

How dry was Prohibition? Some say the law did much to spike sales of alcohol.

Opinion: ObamaCare and the Constitution: What would Jefferson and Madison think?

A careful reading of the US Constitution shows no authority for the new health-care law's mandate to buy private insurance.

Our Founding Fathers' thoughts on the Supreme Court

Opinion: How gerrymandering undermines democracy

In a democracy our legislators should work for us, not the other way around. Redistricting needs reform.

Opinion: Obama health care reconciliation: save your outrage for the unconstitutional filibuster

Forget President Obama's health care reconciliation. The real abuse of power is the filibuster. 

Bill of Rights Day: what Obama says about it

Bill of Rights Day commemorates Dec. 15, 1791 – when the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution took effect. In the past week, Obama issued a proclamation for the day.

Opinion: Letters to the editor

Readers write in about Sarah Palin, the US Postal Service, Ayn Rand, and patent reform.

Nation-building at home: Civics 101

How to run a country - a.k.a. nation-building - is the bottom line of the US high school civics revival.

Opinion: What's happened to 'higher' education?

We've traded the foundations of elevated thought for the allure of scientific progress.

Letters to the Editor

Readers write about the continuing debate over the size of the federal government, why students should be protected by the Constitution in school, and how Obama shows strength.

Obama’s church choice remains a mystery

Opinion: The injustice of Iowa's ruling on gay marriage

Its central focus on emotions erodes moral principles and law.

Plain, Honest Men

An engrossing account of the men who met in Philadelphia in 1787 to design a radically new form of government.

Obama's speech: An inaugural past not hard to surpass

Many inaugural addresses have droned on, dwelling on Roman history or forgotten legislative quarrels.

Publishers to Bush on memoir: Don't hurry

Opinion: Obama, Joe the plumber, and the gospel of envy

A call to 'spread the wealth' around is an old – and dangerous – theme.

Wanted: Metaphors for spamming

Opinion: Sending the U.S. to war is not the president's call

That power is Congress's alone; don't hand it over.

What's in your wallet?

People carry money about, save it, and spend it, but often know almost nothing about it.

Opinion: Transformational leaders are not always better

They can inspire and unite followers, but effectiveness and ethics can suffer.

Letters to the Editor

Readers write about Tibet's independence protests.