Author: James Caldwell
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“Regardless of the Legislation”: A President’s Assault on the Power of the Purse
In a social media post this week, the President of the United States issued a stunning directive. Endorsing Rep. Kevin Kiley’s proposed “No Tax Dollars for Riots” legislation, he then went a step further, declaring: “I am hereby instructing my Administration not to pay ANY money to these radicalized groups, regardless of the legislation.” This…
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Senate Parliamentarian Blocks Legislative Attempt to Limit Federal Court Power
A quiet but consequential battle over the power of our federal judiciary is being fought on two fronts. In the halls of Congress late Friday night, one assault on judicial authority was thwarted by arcane Senate procedure. But at the same time, the Supreme Court itself handed the White House a significant victory in its…
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Who Gets Drafted in a New World War?
Our world is on a razor’s edge. We see it in the Middle East, where the exchange of fire between Israel, Iran, and now the United States has turned a shadow war into a direct conflict. We see it in the enduring tensions between nuclear powers like India and Pakistan, and in the instability that…
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A Tragedy in Texas: When a Child Stands Trial as an Adult
At a high school track meet – the most ordinary of American scenes – a dispute over seating under a team tent ended with a knife, a 17-year-old boy dead, and another facing the possibility of life in prison. The fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf in Frisco, Texas, is more than just a local crime…
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The Unconstitutional Peace
A Republican congressman has nominated President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. The reason: his “extraordinary and historic role” in brokering a ceasefire that ended the “12 Day War” between Israel, Iran, and the United States. The nomination praises the President’s “bold, decisive actions” in achieving peace. Every American desires peace. But in a…
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What Does The Constitution Say About War?
The Imperial Presidency at War: A Constitutional Crisis Decades in the Making American warplanes have conducted strikes against nuclear facilities inside Iran. This is a direct act of combat against a sovereign nation, ordered by the President without a word of debate or a single vote from Congress. This action, regardless of its strategic merits,…
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A Republic in Recess: Trump Calls For Fewer Paid Holidays
In a social media post this week, President Trump declared that there are “Too many non-working holidays in America,” framing them as a multi-billion-dollar drain on the economy that “must change.” This argument, viewing our national calendar through the narrow lens of a profit-and-loss statement, prompts a fundamental question about the nature of our republic.…
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“Maybe I Should Go to the Fed”: An Assault on an Economic Bedrock
Beyond Insults: The Constitutional Danger of a Politicized Central Bank “He’s not a smart person.” “A stupid person.” “A numbskull.” These are the words the President of the United States used this week to describe the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Capping it off with the musing, “Maybe I should go to the Fed,” President…
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G7 in Chaos as Trump Makes Sudden Exit
The Empty Seat at the Table: A President’s Rejection of the Post-War Order At a moment of extreme global crisis, with the world looking to the G7 summit for unified leadership, the President of the United States is leaving the table. Citing the urgent situation in the Middle East, President Trump will cut his visit…
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Federal Judge Upholds Restraining Order
More Than a Grudge Match: When a President Targets a University A federal judge has, for the moment, shielded Harvard University from the full force of the executive branch. The temporary extension of a restraining order against the Trump administration is not a final victory, but a crucial pause in a profound constitutional showdown. This…