From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. It’s amazing how much power seven little words strung together can have, especially when, on the surface, they seem rather benign. Yet Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 simply states that Congress has the power “To establish Post Offices and post Roads.” The Constitution’s postal power was … Continue reading Constitution 101: The Postal Clause
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Constitution 101: The Counterfeiting Clause
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. In 1981, “Sports Illustrated” published a cover showing $100 bills falling into a basketball hoop. The lead story was about a college basketball point-shaving scandal. The Secret Service warned Time Inc., the magazine’s publisher, that the color reproduction of the money could violate federal laws against photographing … Continue reading Constitution 101: The Counterfeiting Clause
Number of retiring U.S. senators ranks among top 5
From the Southwest Ledger By James Finck, Ph.d. on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 I have said this many times before, but the number one question I am asked when I give talks is: Are we more divided now than ever before? My answer is always no. We fought a war in 1861 and have not … Continue reading Number of retiring U.S. senators ranks among top 5
1856 election demonstrates strengths, weaknesses of our democracy
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Jul 28, 2026 On July 16, President Donald Trump addressed the nation to push the SAVE America Act and make our elections safe. In his speech, Trump did not repeat his claim that he won the 2020 election, but he did declassify documents showing Chinese influence in … Continue reading 1856 election demonstrates strengths, weaknesses of our democracy
Removing a Senator
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Jul 19, 2026 Two important stories from last week were the hospitalization of U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and the death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. While both events are serious and sorrowful, what is interesting from the perspective of this column is how our Constitution addresses each … Continue reading Removing a Senator
Trusting in elections from Grover Cleveland to today
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. On Dec. 12, 1889, former President Grover Cleveland addressed the Boston Merchants’ Association. Despite winning the popular vote, Cleveland had lost reelection a year earlier and he believed, at least in part, that voter fraud and political manipulation contributed to his defeat. It wasn’t that the election … Continue reading Trusting in elections from Grover Cleveland to today
A proposal for the 28th Amendment to our Constitution
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. May 17, 2026 As the biggest headlines in the news continues to be political gerrymandering, I have decided the best solution is a new constitutional amendment. While Congress will doubtfully support it, it may be the only solution that the majority can get behind. My proposed 28th … Continue reading A proposal for the 28th Amendment to our Constitution
Our nation’s path to Louisiana v. Callais
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. May 10, 2026 So far this year gerrymandering has been one of the dominant stories, as both sides do everything within their power to secure more of their party’s members in Congress in the midterms. I already have written about the Virginia election that enabled the state … Continue reading Our nation’s path to Louisiana v. Callais
Cases that tie gerrymandering to SPLC silence american voices
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. As I was working on this week’s article, I realized that I could possibly combine the two biggest stories of the week by looking at one Supreme Court case: Sims v. Amos (1974). Sims v. Amos was a case about gerrymandering in voting districts in Alabama. For … Continue reading Cases that tie gerrymandering to SPLC silence american voices
From Panama to Tehran: Big stick diplomacy then and now
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Apr 19, 2026 What began as promising negotiations between the United States and Iran earlier this month ended in an impasse. Following a massive U.S. bombing campaign against Iran that began in February, both sides agreed to a two-week ceasefire starting on April 8 to pursue a … Continue reading From Panama to Tehran: Big stick diplomacy then and now
