Editor’s note: The subject of this article is derived from a conference paper that Dr. Van Til will present at the 2014 Annual Conference in April. It is not surprising that Obamacare, especially the HHS mandate, has generated dozens of … Continue reading
The Law
The Senate would be more efficient without the filibuster, and that’s the problem
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at Forbes.com. What would the Senate be like without the filibuster? It would be a more efficient body, but efficiency has never been a hallmark of democracy. Reflecting on Senate Rule 22, the so-called … Continue reading
PA Attorney General Refuses to Defend Marriage Law – An Insider’s View
Editor’s note: Last week, the ACLU filed a federal lawsuit to overturn Pennsylvania’s marriage law. In response, in a stunning move, Pennsylvania’s attorney general refused to defend the law. The Center for Vision & Values contacted Pennsylvania Family Institute President … Continue reading
A Perfectly Natural July 4th
Editor’s note: A shorter version of this article first appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Will you be celebrating Natural Law this July 4th? You should be. Your Founding Fathers did. In declaring their independence and asserting their God-given rights, the … Continue reading
Fisher v. University of Texas: The Court Misses an Opportunity
The Supreme Court, in a case heard by eight Justices (Justice Kagan recused herself), has issued its decision involving the admissions policies of the University of Texas. In a 7-1 decision, the court sent the case back to the Fifth Circuit Court of … Continue reading
The “why” behind the IRS scandal
Let’s begin with a premise. Challenging, delaying, questioning, or bullying organizations about their non-profit, educational purposes chills both free speech and a free press. The current ruckus involving Internal Revenue Service policies aimed at conservative political groups supports that notion … Continue reading
Slouching From Gomorrah: Remembering Robert Bork
On the Monday morning following the Oscars, U.S. news websites splashed the announcement that the “little film that could,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” had garnered the Best Picture of 2008 award. Buried on many of the same web sites was the news … Continue reading
Robert Bork and Grove City College
On a dark February afternoon in 1988, 25 students in a U.S. Constitutional History class waited expectantly in a little-used dining hall on the campus of Grove City College (in Grove City, Pennsylvania) for a special guest lecturer to arrive. I was the … Continue reading
Man vs. Himself on Wall Street
Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared at RealClearMarkets.com. A costly computer trading glitch involving market maker Knight Capital has intensified the debate over the effects and value of high-frequency algorithmic trading. The holding period for most of … Continue reading
V&V PAPER — Nature and Nurture: Limiting the Rights of Parents in Genetic Enhancement
Editor’s Note: “[T]he issues here are layered and controversial. While each generation faces new medical possibilities, the 21st century is likely to see an increase in both the number and the sheer scope of what is possible. … As happens in … Continue reading
The Obama Nullification Doctrine
In December 1828, South Carolina had 5,000 copies of John C. Calhoun’s “Exposition and Protest” printed and distributed throughout the state. A defiant document, Calhoun’s “Exposition” outlined a theory of constitutional interpretation first adumbrated in the infamous Kentucky and Virginia … Continue reading
The Obamacare Decision: A Mixed Bag
The case that received more media attention and more consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court than any in recent history has been decided. The 5-4 decision upheld the “individual mandate,” the central feature of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, … Continue reading
Volcker Rule Is a Step in the Right Direction
JPMorgan Chase, one of the nation’s largest banks, announced that it lost over $2 billion in trading over the last few months. This has emboldened supporters of the Volcker rule, which prohibits banks that enjoy government support from making risky … Continue reading
Sick Chickens and Sick Laws
When President Obama made his famous declaration about how he was confident that “that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically … Continue reading
Obama’s Monumental Misunderstanding
President Obama recently complained about the possibility of the Supreme Court striking down Obamacare. He used the term “unprecedented” and was critical of “judicial activism” engaged in by “unelected” judges. In so doing, he showed his monumental misunderstanding of American … Continue reading
The Supreme Court Weighs Obamacare: Good Intentions vs. The Constitution
Editor’s note: This article was written exclusively for Forbes by the Center’s fellow for economic and social policy. Click here to read the article at Forbes.com»
Yes, Congresswoman Pelosi, We’re Serious: On the Constitutionality of Obamacare
America anxiously awaits the Supreme Court’s decision on Obamacare. At the core of the decision is a simple question: Is the “individual mandate” in Obamacare constitutional? And thus, is Obamacare constitutional?Several times during the debate and deliberation, my mind harkened back to the words … Continue reading
A Whirlwind Tour of the Supreme Court’s Commerce Clause Jurisprudence
There is a widely held view that Congress has virtually unlimited power to legislate, especially concerning economic matters. Consider, for example, the passage of the controversial Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act two years ago. While Congress’ power to regulate … Continue reading
Is the Health Care Law Constitutional? No, Strike It Down
Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Neither Porter nor his firm are involved in the ACA litigation. This summer, the Supreme Court will decide whether Congress violated the Constitution when it enacted the … Continue reading
Obamacare: Will It Withstand Constitutional Scrutiny?
The U.S. Supreme Court is now poised to review the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as “Obamacare.” The nine Justices will hear oral arguments totaling an unprecedented five-and-a-half hours beginning on March 26, 2012 and concluding on … Continue reading