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Freedom of Religion and the Establishment Clause. What Do They Say?

May 26, 2019

Freedom of Religion and the Establishment Clause. What do they say? The First Amendment to the Constitution reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to […]

Rich and Poor

May 25, 2019

Rich and Poor Kathleen Parker’s Op-ed Jan. 29 borrowed a few lines from literature to make her points. “Let them eat cake” was of course attributed to Queen Marie Antoinette of France when told the peasants were starving for lack of bread. The fact that there is absolutely no proof she ever made the statement […]

The Right to Fail

September 16, 2018

We all have rights as American citizens. Just ask any “sea lawyer” as we used to call know-it-alls in the Navy. But we have failed to provide in the Constitution for one of the most fundamental rights: the right to fail. Let’s explore this a bit since that sounds kind of negative. It’s not. We […]

Breaking the Rules

June 17, 2018

We all would like to be good “law-abiding” citizens, not breaking the rules or doing anything illegal. And, for the most part, we know the rules. Just read the Ten Commandments for starters. But there is a part of me that doesn’t mind breaking the rules. Law-abiding though I may be in the main, I […]

A New Civil War?

April 15, 2018

As the State of California cranks up its resistance to the federal government’s “interference” it its internal affairs, with respect especially to immigrants and sanctuary cities, it might do us well to remember another period in our history when different states took the federal government to task for interfering in their affairs. Let me take […]

In Search of the Correct Final Authority

November 29, 2017

In all legal differences, the “final authority” is the court system. In the schools, it is the principal and teacher, although that may be old-fashioned these days. In the home, it is the parents. Anywhere there are differences, there is a high authority to appeal to. Even in war, nations appeal to “higher” laws and […]