Every generation faces a question that tests the balance between liberty and security. Today, one of those questions is arriving at city councils, county commissions, and state legislatures across America through the rapid expansion of Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology, commonly …
Impeachment: What the Constitution Actually Says
Impeachment is one of the most misunderstood tools in the Constitution. It is not a criminal trial, and being impeached is not the same as being removed. The Text How It Works What Are "High Crimes and Misdemeanors"? The phrase is not defined in the Constitution. Alexander Hamilton, …
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The Powers of the President of the United States
Understanding the Authority, Responsibilities, and Constitutional Limits of America's Chief Executive The President of the United States is one of the most recognizable and influential leaders in the world. Every day, the President makes decisions that affect national security, foreign policy, …
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How Executive Orders Work
Understanding One of the President's Most Powerful Executive Tools Every time a new president takes office, headlines often announce that the President has signed dozens of executive orders. Some people believe executive orders are "laws." Others believe a president can simply sign an …
President Joe Biden’s Most Controversial Pardons: Who Was Pardoned and Why?
One of the President of the United States' greatest constitutional powers is the power to grant pardons. A presidential pardon can forgive federal crimes, restore certain rights, or even prevent federal prosecution before charges are ever filed. Every president has used this authority, but few …
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Understanding the Presidential Pardon Power
One of the Most Powerful Authorities Granted to the President of the United States The President of the United States has many important constitutional powers. The President serves as Commander in Chief of the military, signs or vetoes legislation, appoints federal judges, negotiates treaties, …
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Push Against Deepfakes
What Parents Need to Know About the New Federal Push Against Deepfakes and Nonconsensual Imagery A significant new federal bill known as the TAKE IT DOWN Act is gaining rapid attention in Washington, with a critical deadline approaching on May 19, 2026. The legislation targets the growing crisis …
AI Executive Order
An Independent Analysis of the Administration’s Approach to AI Policy and Parental Rights In early 2026, the Trump administration issued a significant Executive Order on artificial intelligence that includes a notable carve-out for child safety. White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks publicly …
KOSA + COPPA 2026
An Independent Policy Assessment KOSA + COPPA 2.0: America’s Defining Child Online Safety Battle of 2026 The 119th Congress faces a critical test in 2026: whether it can deliver meaningful protections for children and adolescents online or merely produce another round of high-profile legislation …
AI Chatbots and Children
An Independent Assessment of the Rapid Rise in State Legislation Regulating AI Companions and Chatbots In 2026 alone, lawmakers across the United States have introduced at least 98 bills specifically targeting the use of AI chatbots and digital companions, particularly in contexts involving …
Tariff Refunds Open: How Importers Can Recover IEEPA Duties Through CBP’s New CAPE System
The Supreme Court ruled the tariffs unlawful in February. As of yesterday, importers can start getting their money back. On April 20, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern, U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched CAPE, the system it built to process refunds of duties collected under the International …
Advice and Consent: How the Senate Confirms Nominees and Approves Treaties
The President cannot staff the government or bind the nation to a treaty alone. Article II, Section 2 gives the President power to make treaties "by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur," and to nominate ambassadors, Supreme Court …
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Crossfire Hurricane: How the FBI’s Trump-Russia Investigation Began
On July 31, 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened a counterintelligence investigation that would become known as Crossfire Hurricane. Over the following several years, the investigation became one of the most scrutinized federal investigations in American history, prompting …
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Federalism and the Tenth Amendment: Who Holds Power, Washington or the States?
Americans live under two governments at once, national and state, and the Constitution divides power between them on purpose. The Founders called this a "compound republic." James Madison wrote in Federalist No. 45 that the powers delegated to the federal government are "few and defined," while …
The White House Asks Congress to Preempt State AI Laws: Inside the National AI Policy Framework
The administration has asked Congress to do what an executive order cannot: write a national AI rulebook that overrides the states. On March 20, 2026, the White House released a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence, a four-page set of legislative recommendations to Congress. It …
Who Sets Tariffs, Congress or the President? The Supreme Court’s IEEPA Ruling Explained
The Constitution gives the power to tax imports to Congress. For decades, Congress has lent pieces of that power to the President. In 2026, the Supreme Court drew a line. What the Constitution Says Article I, Section 8 gives Congress the power "to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and …
Why Some Cities Are Canceling Their Flock License Plate Camera Contracts
A growing number of communities are asking a question they did not ask when they bought license plate cameras: who else is searching the data? This week, NPR reported on cities canceling or reconsidering contracts with Flock Safety, the largest provider of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) …
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The Third Branch: How Federal Courts Work, and Where Judicial Review Comes From
The judicial branch has no army and no budget of its own. Alexander Hamilton called it the "least dangerous" branch. Yet its decisions can reshape the entire government. What Article III Says Article III vests the judicial power in "one supreme Court" and in lower courts that Congress chooses …
REAL ID, the $45 ConfirmID Fee and Airport Facial Recognition: What TSA Collects and How to Opt Out
Getting through airport security now involves two separate federal decisions about your identity: whether your ID is good enough, and whether you let a camera match your face to it. REAL ID: What Is Required The REAL ID Act of 2005 set federal security standards for state driver's licenses and …
The Power of the Purse: How Congress Funds the Government, and Why Shutdowns Happen
Of all the powers the Constitution gives Congress, the power of the purse may be the most important. Article I, Section 9 states: "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law." The executive branch can spend only what Congress has approved, for the …
The Bill of Rights, Amendment by Amendment
The Constitution was ratified without a bill of rights. Several states agreed to ratify only on the understanding that one would be added. James Madison drafted the amendments, the First Congress proposed twelve in 1789, and ten were ratified by December 15, 1791. Together they are the Bill of …
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New Bill Would Bar Members of Congress From Buying Individual Stocks
The push to stop members of Congress from trading individual stocks is moving again. On January 12, 2026, Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) introduced the Stop Insider Trading Act (H.R. 7008). The Committee on House Administration, which Steil chairs, advanced it on January 14. The bill would bar members …
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Justice Department Stands Up an AI Litigation Task Force to Challenge State AI Laws
The federal government has opened a new front in the fight over who regulates artificial intelligence. On January 9, 2026, the Attorney General formally established an AI Litigation Task Force within the Department of Justice. Its job is to challenge state AI laws the administration views as …
How Federal Regulations Are Made, and How You Can Comment on One
Most of the federal rules that touch daily life were never voted on by Congress. Congress passes laws. Federal agencies then write the regulations that fill in the details, from workplace safety standards to how veterans' benefits are processed. These regulations carry the force of law. In a …
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Steele Dossier – Trump Intelligence Allegations
The Steele dossier became one of the most consequential intelligence documents in modern American political history, influencing public debate, federal investigations, FISA surveillance applications, and years of congressional scrutiny. Whether viewed as credible intelligence, unverified source …
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