Suchergebnisse

Introduction : The View from Monticello and Montpelier -- The Burden of Toleration -- The Liberty of Conscience and Conversion -- The Revolutionary Legacy : Jefferson's and Madison's Great Project -- The Democratization of Religious Freedom -- An Era of Doctrines

Engaging and accessible, A Politician Thinking offers new insight concerning a key constitutional thinker and the foundations of the American constitutional system. Having a more thorough understanding of how Madison solved the problems presented in the formation of that system, we better grasp a unique moment of political innovation

Claims for the inherent authority of the executive over issues of national security imply that the adopters of the Constitution relied on prior British definitions equating executive power and royal prerogative. These claims cannot survive the scrutiny of key sources, including Locke's treatment of the federative power in his Second Treatise, the Federal Convention's debates over the presidency, and the famous 1793 exchange between Hamilton and Madison over the nature and sources of presidential power. When Hamilton relied on the Vesting Clause to stake his claim, he was engaging in interpretive innovatio, not providing a historically faithful account of how the presidency had been contrived.

This introduction offers the argument that the 2000 US presidential election remains unfinished. Its main premise, that the Supreme Court's decision to stop the FL recount was an egregious error, is not put forth as an attempt to question the Bush victory. It is, instead, offered to raise the idea that many issues stemming from this unique election have yet to be resolved. Of particular interest are political parties & the electorate itself, the FL recount wars that shattered the confidence of American voters, & the intervention of the American court system. The Bush v. Gore ruling remains highly controversial, & it is likely to have far-reaching consequences that will directly affect the constitutional system. Further, the electoral college, a poorly understood institution, is defended. In examining this election, it is hoped that some sort of historical organization can emerge from the chaos & confusion that followed. K. A. Larsen

Explores the relevancy of the electoral college in the "e-age," especially in light of the 2000 US presidential election. This close election forced Americans to once again question the reasoning behind the establishment of the electoral college, the "winner-take-all" approach, & the electors' lack of any real political power. Should the questions raised by the 2000 election cause Americans to reconsider the electoral college system? Though this question has been raised many times since Nov 2000, a replacement for the electoral college is virtually impossible to conceive. The current system has many defects; however, debates that place the "one person, one vote" argument against the "principles of federalism" usually come up short because the "one person, one vote" concept means something entirely different in ND than it does in CA. K. A. Larsen