History

No, the American Republic Was Not Founded on Slavery 0
- History
- October 28, 2020
Journalistic propaganda is a powerful instrument of indoctrination. Without evidence, foul ideas can easily penetrate mainstream discourse. For instance, recently it has become fashionable to posit that slavery is America’s original sin. To sensible people, this is a risible claim, because there is nothing particularly American about slavery. But revisiting the history of slavery in
READ MORE
The History of the Supreme Court in Nine Justices: Penumbras and Stare Decisis 0
- History
- October 26, 2020
The final three justices in this Supreme Court series bring us from 1939 to the present. 7. William O. Douglas (April 17, 1939 – November 12, 1975) Appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to succeed Justice Louis Brandeis, Douglas was confirmed by the Senate in a 62-4 vote. He served with Justice James Clark McReynolds
READ MORE
The New Feudalism 0
- History
- October 26, 2020
On February 28, the idea of locking down and smashing economies and human rights the world over was unthinkable to most of us but lustily imagined by intellectuals hoping to conduct a new social/political experiment. On that day, New York Times reporter Donald McNeil released a shocking article: “To Take On the Coronavirus, Go Medieval
READ MORE

The Electoral College Didn’t Protect Slavery 0
- History
- October 23, 2020
The presidential election in 2016 reminded Americans of the role played by the Electoral College in electing our president. Proponents of abolishing or nullifying the Electoral College and replacing it with a direct-election scheme are trying to delegitimize the traditional process by claiming it is a remnant of America’s racist past, created as part of
READ MORE
19th Century Political Kidnappings Are Why We Regulate Poll Place Behavior 0
- History
- October 22, 2020
Author Edgar Allan Poe, the 19th-century master of American macabre, may have died of dirty politics. According to legend, a gang of party “poll hustlers” kidnapped and drugged him. They forced him to vote, then abandoned him near death. Details are murky, but we do know Poe died in Baltimore days after an election. The
READ MORE
The History of the Supreme Court in Nine Justices: Reconstruction and Court Packing 0
- History
- October 21, 2020
Continuing our Oracle of Bacon-style journey through the history of the Supreme Court, we cover the years between 1863 to 1941. Part one can be found here, covering the Court’s first session in 1790 through the Civil War period. 4. Stephen Johnson Field (May 10, 1863 – December 1, 1897) Stephen Johnson Field served with James
READ MORE