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

The evolution of voting and election integrity

From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Apr 9, 2026 With all the legislation about voter integrity, it seems worthwhile to look at voting practices over the years to see how past generations tackled the issue of fair elections. What we find is that both voting technology and the systems used to ensure election … Continue reading The evolution of voting and election integrity

The Long Shadow of the Monroe Doctrine

From the Southwest Ledger By James Finck, Ph.d. on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 When it comes to the situation in Venezuela, President Trump made an interesting comment: “If any South American country misbehaves toward any European country let the European country spank it.” While this certainly sounds like something Trump might say the quote actually … Continue reading The Long Shadow of the Monroe Doctrine

The long shadow of the Monroe Doctrine

From the Lawton Constitution When it comes to the situation in Venezuela, President Trump made an interesting comment: “If any South American country misbehaves toward any European country, let the European country spank it.” While this certainly sounds like something Trump might say, the quote actually belongs to Theodore Roosevelt. It is a reminder that … Continue reading The long shadow of the Monroe Doctrine

When protest threatens democracy

From the Lawton Constitution For me, one of the most important issues we face moving forward is our respect for law and democracy. Whether one agrees with it or not, ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is a legal federal agency carrying out legally authorized duties. To claim otherwise is misleading and, at best, risks … Continue reading When protest threatens democracy

Constitution 101: Revenue and Presentation Clauses

From the Southwest Ledger As we begin the new year, we are also starting a new section of Article I, one of the most familiar and important parts of our Constitution. When we think about constitutional protections, we often focus on checks and balances, and one of the most notable of those checks is the … Continue reading Constitution 101: Revenue and Presentation Clauses