• The Heritage Network
    • Resize:
    • A
    • A
    • A
  • Donate
  • constitutionality

    Today at the Supreme Court: Same-Sex Marriage and the Defense of Marriage Act

    This morning, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in United States v. Windsor, a constitutional challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage as the union of a man and woman for purposes of federal benefits. In this case, the issue was an estate tax bill faced … More

    Marriage and Faux Federalism

    George Will opens his recent column criticizing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on federalism grounds by quoting from a 1948 Supreme Court case: “[U]nder the Constitution, the regulation and control of marital and family relationships are reserved to the States.” What he doesn’t point out is that the citation … More

    Racially Charged Attacks Against Justice Scalia Unfounded

    The inflammatory attacks on Justice Antonin Scalia after the oral arguments in the Supreme Court in the Shelby County case last week show the desperation of the supporters of the “racial entitlement” that is Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Those attacks, and some of the disgusting political cartoons … More

    Morning Bell: Voting Rights at the Supreme Court Today

    To understand what’s going on in the Supreme Court today, we have to go back in time. The year was 1965. Hundreds of people gathered in Selma, Alabama, to march for black Americans’ right to vote. Some states, especially in the South, had set up obstacles to voting, such as … More

    Second Circuit Strikes Down Defense of Marriage Act

    On Thursday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit was the latest to issue a ruling on the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Over a strong dissent by one of the judges, it ruled that section 3 violates equal protection and … More

    Batter Up: What’s on Deck for the Supreme Court’s October 2012 Term

    While other events may compete for our attention this fall (baseball playoffs, football, national election campaigns), next Monday, October 1, marks the beginning of a new Supreme Court term. The Court’s last term also reminds us that the judiciary sometimes plays an outsized role in our republic. Thus, as Heritage’s … More

    House Committee Examines Obama’s Unconstitutional Appointments

    President Obama’s illegal non-recess appointments are unconstitutional and defy the process the Founding Fathers intended, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) told a House committee Wednesday. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee invited a handful of constitutional law experts to discuss the four controversial appointments Obama made in January. Citing delays … More

    The Supreme Court’s Next Blockbuster Term

    Although the Court’s last term was generally regarded as pretty boring, the upcoming term that begins on Oct. 3 has the potential to be the term of the decade, or as some hope, the term of the century.  Yet the story of the Court’s 2011 term really began months, or … More

    A Stunning Victory for the Constitution over Obamacare

    This afternoon, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta ruled that the individual mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), more commonly known as Obamacare, is unconstitutional.  The carefully worded and thorough (over 300 page) set of opinions may be a … More

    Morning Bell: Obamacare is Seriously Unconstitutional

    On October 23rd, a reporter asked Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): “Madam Speaker, where specifically does the Constitution grant Congress the authority to enact an individual health insurance mandate?” Speaker Pelosi shook her head and before moving on to another question replied: “Are you serious? Are you serious??” Pressed for a … More