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
Tag: politics
President Trump’s beef policy may help food prices, but at what cost?
From the Southwest Ledger By James Finck, Ph.d. When President Trump ran for office in 2024, a large part of his platform was bringing down the cost of food. With tariff wars, not to mention an actual war with Iran, this has proven difficult, as food prices have continued to rise. This has been nowhere … Continue reading President Trump’s beef policy may help food prices, but at what cost?
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
Constitution 101: The Coinage Clause
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
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
Birthright Citizenship
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Jul 7, 2026 The past three weeks have been busy ones for the Supreme Court as it has issued decisions on several important cases, but none more significant than Trump v. Barbara, which struck down President Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship. Since the passage … Continue reading Birthright Citizenship
Historically Speaking 