The President Can Do Whatever He Wants, Which Is Why He Can’t
The Founders gave the executive branch immense authority—but also counted on the people to hold their leaders in check.
The Battle For The Constitution
A special project on the constitutional debates in American life, in partnership with the National Constitution Center
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This work was commissioned, produced, and edited by The Atlantic's editorial staff. Support for this work was provided in part by the organizations listed here.
Support for this project was provided by the Madison Initiative of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
The Most Dangerous Form of Bribery
Election corruption can’t be solved by corrupt elections, so the Founders devised a special solution: impeachment.
The Obscure—But Crucial—Rules the Trump Administration Has Sought to Corrupt
I was part of a team that carefully developed a rule-making process in compliance with both the Constitution and Congress’s laws. Can the same be said now?
How to Revive Madison’s Constitution
The American experiment requires virtuous leaders who place the public good over their own personal or partisan interests.
The Weaponization of Impeachment
America’s political leaders like to talk a big game about proper constitutional conduct and high-minded principles, but the history of impeachment reveals that partisanship is a more powerful motivator.
I Know What It’s Like to Carry Out Executions
The experience of participating in the state-sanctioned killing of another human being has shaped me forever—and is why I believe this country should not pursue federal capital punishment.
The Guns Case Is About Much More Than Guns
By hearing this case about the Second Amendment, the Supreme Court is declaring itself the only appropriate forum for remedying constitutional violations.
Freedom Is Meaningless Under Insurmountable Debt
Advocates are arguing that the Thirteenth Amendment prohibits usurious loans.
Five Common Misconceptions About the Electoral College
Defenders of the Electoral College argue that it was created to combat majority tyranny and support federalism, and that it continues to serve those purposes. This stance depends on a profound misunderstanding of the history of the institution.
Foreign Policy Isn't Just Up To Trump
The president’s defenders argue that U.S. foreign policy is whatever he says it is. Trouble is, that’s not what the Constitution says.