From the Southwest Ledger By James Finck, Ph.d. on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 In a 2023 Saturday Night Live sketch, George Washington, played by comedian Nate Bargatze, tries to motivate his troops during a desperate moment in the Revolutionary War. Washington told them they were fighting for a country of their own, a nation where … Continue reading Constitution 101: The Coinage Clause
Tag: history
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
Charity, refugees & our Constitution
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Immigration has become one of the hottest topics of debate in our country, especially as we have accepted refugees from several war-torn nations. Part of this debate centers on how to fund refugees who often arrive with very little to their name and are in need of … Continue reading Charity, refugees & our Constitution
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
Wolford v. Lopez rightly arms permit holders, business owners
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Jul 12, 2026 Last week, I wrote about the birthright citizenship case, one of several major Supreme Court decisions handed down over the past few weeks. Today, I want to look at what is probably the second most controversial decision, and one surrounded by a great deal … Continue reading Wolford v. Lopez rightly arms permit holders, business owners
Constitution 101: Bankruptcy Clause
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. It is interesting that our Founders combined naturalization and bankruptcy into a single clause in the Constitution but they did so because with both issues they needed to move away from 13 different laws and create a nationally agreed upon set up rules. Article I, Section VIII, … Continue reading Constitution 101: Bankruptcy Clause
The Supreme Court should be above politics
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Jul 5, 2026 The last couple of weeks have been important ones for the Supreme Court as it has released several of its more important and controversial decisions. While I am going to discuss some of these cases in the near future, I first want to say … Continue reading The Supreme Court should be above politics
‘From the consent of the governed’
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Most people think of the Declaration of Independence as the founding of America, but in many ways that is not true. Just because we declared it so, did not make it true. We first had to win a war against the greatest military power in the history … Continue reading ‘From the consent of the governed’
Historic Travels: Pawhuska has lots to offer
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Jun 28, 2026 One of the things my wife and I like to do in the summer is take day trips. This year, we decided to travel north to Pawhuska and visit arguably the most famous ranch in the state and home of the Pioneer Woman herself, … Continue reading Historic Travels: Pawhuska has lots to offer
The Battle of the Little Bighorn: A victory and a turning point
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Jun 25, 2026 Stepping away from celebrating our nation’s anniversary, it is important to recognize the anniversary of one of the most significant battles fought on American soil and arguably the most famous battle of the Indian Wars. It was 150 years ago this week, on June … Continue reading The Battle of the Little Bighorn: A victory and a turning point
Historically Speaking 