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
Tag: politics
Constitution 101: Commerce Clause, Part II
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. May 5, 2026 Last month I wrote that while Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of our Constitution, known as the Commerce Clause, is one of the shortest clauses, its impact is much more prevalent than most. It is so important and has been adjudicated so often … Continue reading Constitution 101: Commerce Clause, Part II
Presidential assassination attempts underscore need for national security
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. May 3, 2026 On April 25, while President Trump hosted his first White House Correspondents’ Dinner, a lone gunman attempted to breach security at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., with the apparent intention of killing the president and other high-ranking officials. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, … Continue reading Presidential assassination attempts underscore need for national security
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
Revisiting the end of History
From Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Historically, the 1990s stand out as a fascinating decade, the one immediately following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. For generations, political theorists had grown up in a world where “containment” defined foreign policy and shaped global strategy. With that structure … Continue reading Revisiting the end of History
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
Importance of Chiles v. Salazar and the protection of free speech
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. Apr 7, 2026 Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision regarding the legality of conversion therapy for gay and transgender minors. Over the past week, I’ve seen a lot of confusion about what the Court decided. Because this is such a hot button issue, it’s … Continue reading Importance of Chiles v. Salazar and the protection of free speech
Constitution 101: The Commerce Clause
From the Lawton Constitution By James Finck, Ph.D. When studying Congress’ authority and responsibilities in Section 8 of Article I of our Constitution, one of the shortest clauses has become one of the most complicated and litigated in American history. Clause III, known as the Commerce Clause, gives Congress the power “To regulate Commerce with … Continue reading Constitution 101: The Commerce Clause
What Does A ‘Fair Share’ Really Mean?
From the Southwest Ledger By James Finck, Ph.d. on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 With all the debate about taxation in our state, I’ve been trying to educate myself more to better understand it myself. I’ve also had several discussions with students about ideas like equality and fairness, especially since many of them constantly repeat phrases … Continue reading What Does A ‘Fair Share’ Really Mean?
Historically Speaking 