Articles by Eleanor Stratton

A Lesson on the Spending Clause: A Court Reminds the President of His Limits

Our Constitution creates a deliberate and often tense balance of power. Congress is given the “power of the purse,” deciding how federal money is spent. The President, in turn, is tasked with faithfully executing the laws. But what happens when a President uses the money Congress allocated for...

The 25th Amendment on Trial: A Proposal to Reinvent Presidential Removal

A provocative new proposal from Representative Darrell Issa is forcing a national conversation about one of the most sensitive and critical parts of our constitutional order: the 25th Amendment. In the wake of revelations about a potential “cover-up” of former President Biden’s declining...

A Tale of Two Independence Days: The Promise of July 4th and the Reckoning of Juneteenth

America has two days that celebrate independence. One commemorates the birth of a nation; the other, the liberation of its people. One is the articulation of a promise; the other, the beginning of its painful and long-overdue delivery. The Fourth of July and Juneteenth are not competing holidays....

A War for the Soul of America

There is a war being waged for the soul of America. It is not being fought with guns and cannons, but in our children’s classrooms. It is a battle over our very identity, a coordinated effort to tear down our heroes, slander our founding, and teach a new generation to be ashamed of their own...

Tanks and Troops Mark Army’s 250th Amidst Public Debate

Seventy-ton M1A2 Abrams tanks are rolling down the streets of Washington, D.C. Thousands of soldiers—some in modern combat gear, others in the historic uniforms of the Revolutionary War—are marching in formation. Above, helicopters and warplanes cut through the sky as Army parachutists descend...

In a significant turn of events, tens of thousands of Americans protested in cities across the nation against President Donald Trump's military parade and his return to the presidency. The demonstrations, dubbed "No Kings," reflect a fundamental American principle dating back to 1776: that no...

Lincoln’s Warning: Is America More Divided Today Than It Was 167 Years Ago?

On this day, June 16, in 1858, a lawyer from Illinois named Abraham Lincoln accepted the Republican nomination for Senate and delivered one of the most consequential speeches in American history. He warned a nation already fracturing under the pressure of slavery that a “house divided against...

A Judge, A President, and a Prison in El Salvador

This is not a mere procedural dispute. It is a profound conflict over a simple but vital question: Does the Constitution have an off-switch? Can the executive branch extinguish a person’s right to due process simply by placing them on a plane and flying them beyond our borders? The temporary stay...

A judge rules the President’s deployment “illegal,” but an appeals court overturns it hours later.

In a tense courtroom on Thursday, the raw conflict between executive power and judicial review was laid bare. A federal judge, holding up a pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution, declared President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles to be “illegal.” Hours later, an appeals...

When a Senator’s Question Becomes a Precedent for Arrest

A United States senator, on the floor and in handcuffs. This is the stark image that now defines the fraught relationship between the legislative and executive branches. The forcible removal of Senator Alex Padilla from a press conference held by the Secretary of Homeland Security is not merely a...

A poor European country may be paid to accept 50 migrants deemed inadmissible by the United States

The Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement has taken a new turn—this time across the Atlantic. In a quietly unfolding international deal, the small Balkan nation of Kosovo has agreed to temporarily host up to 50 deported migrants from the United States over the next year. The...

California Sues Trump Over National Guard Deployment Amid L.A. Unrest

California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the federalization and deployment of the California National Guard to Los Angeles without state consent. The legal action follows President Donald Trump’s decision to...

Marines Ordered to Los Angeles as Anti-Immigration Riots Escalate: A Moment of Force, a Test of Federal Power

In a move that has stunned observers and reignited fierce debate over federal authority, the Pentagon confirmed Monday that 700 U.S. Marines from Twentynine Palms are deploying to Los Angeles to reinforce security amid days of violent protests following mass ICE raids. Their mission: protect...

The Last Time a New Party Won: What Lincoln’s Rise Tells Us About Musk’s Third-Party Moment

In the mid-19th century, the United States stood at a pivotal juncture. The nation’s expansion westward reignited fierce debates over slavery, states’ rights, and federal authority. Amidst this turmoil, a new political force emerged—the Republican Party—rooted in constitutional principles...

Rand Paul Opposes Debt in Trump’s Bill

Sen. Rand Paul stands firm against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s proposed $5 trillion debt ceiling hike. For Paul, this isn’t just another legislative detail; it’s a philosophical battleground. He views it as a departure from core conservative principles. "We have never raised the debt...

Putin Promises Response to Ukrainian Drones

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in a 75-minute phone call, focusing primarily on the ongoing situation in Ukraine. Trump shared details of the conversation on Truth Social, stating that while the discussion was thorough, it would not lead to immediate peace. The...

Judge Blocks Trump’s Trans Ban in Prisons, Cites Eighth Amendment

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth has issued a ruling that mandates the Bureau of Prisons continue providing gender-affirming care to transgender inmates, defying an executive order from President Donald Trump. This decision centers on the continuation of hormone therapy and social accommodations,...

Trump Tax Leaker Exercises Constitutional Right To Decline To Testify

In a case that has shaken the foundations of taxpayer confidentiality and raised profound questions about the politicization of justice, Charles Edward Littlejohn, a former IRS contractor, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for leaking the tax returns of President Donald Trump and over...

Trump Admin Seeks SCOTUS OK on Federal Layoffs

The Trump administration has made another urgent plea to the Supreme Court, seeking immediate approval to reduce its federal workforce. This appeal follows a district court’s decision that significantly impeded President Trump’s broader workforce reduction strategy. Solicitor General D. John...

Why Are Taxpayers Paying for a Birthday Parade with Tanks?

After DOGE’s lectures on efficiency, Trump’s $61 million spectacle is hard to defend. After months of finger-wagging from the Department of Government Efficiency — slashing budgets, freezing hiring, and sermonizing about “doing more with less” — we’re now expected to salute a $61...