From Southwest Ledger Section III of Article I of the Constitution is all about the Senate. When reading the original Section III before modern amendments, right away one might notice some differences in the Senate today from when the Founders created it, and I have found that most Americans are surprised. Article I, Section III, … Continue reading Constitution 101: Senate Composition and Vacancy Clauses
Tag: politics
2024: A Year of Political Whirlwinds, Conflicts, and Transitions of Power
From Southwest Ledger As we come to the close of 2024, it is worth looking back over this year at some of the highs and lows. Being an election year, and a historical one at that, with only the second time a president has served two nonsequential terms, it is probably not a surprise that … Continue reading 2024: A Year of Political Whirlwinds, Conflicts, and Transitions of Power
Historic Travels: Ireland, Scotland and the Scots-Irish Influence on American Culture
From Southwest Ledger During my travels this summer I made my way across Ireland and Scotland and fell in love with the beauty and the rich history of these countries. During my stay, by far my favorite evenings were the ones where we were treated to nights of songs, dance, and stories. While every nation … Continue reading Historic Travels: Ireland, Scotland and the Scots-Irish Influence on American Culture
Constitution 101: House Vacancy, Impeachment Clauses
From Southwest Ledger Article I, Section II of the U.S. Constitution is all about the House of Representatives. While the first three clauses attract most the attention and discuss the setup of the House, the last two clauses are equally important and deal with vacancies in the House and that body’s role in impeachment. It … Continue reading Constitution 101: House Vacancy, Impeachment Clauses
Tyranny of the Majority
From Southwest Ledger Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has announced that State Question 832 will be included on the June 16, 2026, ballot. This will be a difficult question for Oklahomans as, if passed, it will raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2029. Proponents for the initiative argue that wages have fallen … Continue reading Tyranny of the Majority
Trump, Harrison and Presidential Do-Overs
From Southwest Ledger It’s not often in life that we get a do-over, and in politics it’s even rarer. Most of the time, once a candidate is associated with defeat, they are never considered for office again. What is even rarer is a president losing reelection and getting a second shot. In fact, that has … Continue reading Trump, Harrison and Presidential Do-Overs
Constitutional Amendments That Impacted Our Election Day
From Southwest Ledger As Americans gather at the polls this week to choose our next president it may look a bit different than it has in the past. For good or bad, early voting and mail-in voting has become much more common, meaning the lines may be shorter. But at what cost? I have previously … Continue reading Constitutional Amendments That Impacted Our Election Day
Off-the-cuff: unscripted comments that sank presidential campaigns
From the Southwest Ledger At the time of writing this column, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris is currently leading in most polls to win the Presidency of the United States. With only three weeks before the election, the worst thing that could happen for the Harris campaign is a snide, off-the-cuff remark that could sway voters … Continue reading Off-the-cuff: unscripted comments that sank presidential campaigns
A WAR ON TWO FRONTS: The History and Goals of Hezbollah and Hamas
From Southwest Ledger Over the past year I have written several articles dealing with the war between Israel and Hamas. While that war is still ongoing, a more recent conflict has begun between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. While Hamas and Hezbollah have a shared goal to destroy Israel, they are very different organizations and populated … Continue reading A WAR ON TWO FRONTS: The History and Goals of Hezbollah and Hamas
Executive v. Executive: A Parallel in American Presidential Elections
From Southwest Ledger As a political historian, I was disappointed when Joe Biden backed out of the presidential race. I say that for no other reason than it’s been a rare occurrence in history where we have had two presidents battle it out. However, while it would have given me plenty to write about, a … Continue reading Executive v. Executive: A Parallel in American Presidential Elections
Historically Speaking 