Articles by James Caldwell

Constitutional FAQ Answer #73 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q73. “Where are the requirements for the right to vote spelled out? Specifically if you were dishonorable discharged from the military, are you ineligible to vote for president?” A. It...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #74 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q74. “The wording of the 12th amendment implies that the election of the Vice President is completely separate from that of the President. Should we not be able to vote for our choice of Vice...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #62 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q62. “I have a friend that told me that I have a constitutional right to travel in this country. He stated that to tax that right with driver’s license fees, motor registration, license plate...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #63 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q63. “Can the Federal Government actually own land, i.e the public lands which are managed by the various agencies, such as U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management?” A. Article 4,...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #64 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q64. “Is there any place I could find information on the electoral process?” A. The electoral process, at least for presidential elections, is spelled out in the Constitution in Article 2,...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #65 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q65. “Where in the Constitution does it mention states’ right to secede from the union?” A. The Constitution does not permit a state to secede once it is a part of the Union. However, it...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #66 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q66. “If the President dies and then the Vice President takes over and dies too, who takes over then?” The Vice President. One of the VP‘s first acts as a new President would likely be the...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #67 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q67. “Is there anything in the U.S. Constitution that guarantees its citizens an education? My uncle is being forced to pay for summer school for his children by the NYC Board of Education....

Constitutional FAQ Answer #68 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q68. “The amendment which abolishes slavery seems to say that slavery is abolished except for those convicted of crimes… Is that still true?” A. The 13th Amendment does not permit prisoners...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #55 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q55. “I read that New Hampshire became the 9th state to adopt an approval resolution on June 21, 1788 but that the Constitution was not ratified until two years later. Why? And, what was the...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #56 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q56. “Is the Preamble to the Constitution considered law?” A. No. In that it grants no power, nor restricts anyone. It only provides context for the original version. | Home | | Constitution...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #57 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q57. “I am in the middle of a raging argument about amendments. Can a ratified amendment ever be ‘unconstitutional’?” A. No, with one current exception. By its very definition, an...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #58 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q58. “I would like to know what the President can and cannot accomplish via an Executive Order. If Congress has NOT passed laws that mandate certain Administration policies which means that...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #59 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q59. “I need help looking for where the Constitution implies slavery. I looked at Article 1, Section 9, Clause 1 of the Constitution. I need another example of the implied use of slavery.” A....

Constitutional FAQ Answer #6 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q6. “During class today, we were discussing Amendment 15. Is it true that it will expire in the year 2008?” A. There is no expiration date on the 15th Amendment . Don’t worry, the right of...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #60 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q60. “Where may I find additional information on the evolution of Article 1 — Section 8 (Powers of Congress)…and specifically, ‘To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #61 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q61. “How we can account for the fact that the U.S. Constitution has been amended only 27 times in the past 200 years? Do you have any feed back on this?” A. Actually, since it was written in...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #5 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q5. “What do you believe are the reasons why the Constitution would not have been passed without the Bill of Rights.” A. Actually, the Constitution did pass without the Bill of Rights, as the...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #50 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q50. “I am having trouble figuring out exactly what the term ‘civil rights’ includes.” A. Civil rights are those derived from simply being a citizen. When blacks demonstrated for their...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #51 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q51. “I was wondering what things in the Constitution were actually original and what things were ‘copyrighted?’ I’m doing this for an essay. I know that a lot of things were from the...