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"It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is." (Chief Justice John Marshall, in Marbury v. Madison, 1803) The Supreme Court’s check of the other branches of government is the power of judicial review. This power of review did not exist until 1803 as the result of fallout and political machination by Supreme Court Justice John Marshall’s opinion during the ruling of Marbury v. Madison. This opinion set in motion that the Supreme Court had the power and the duty to determine whether or not laws passed by Congress violated the Constitution...

What if the concept of free will was scientifically proven to be an illusion? That free will is nothing more than an egotistical construct? We pretend to have control of our reality and the choices we make in their lives, but without free will are we excused from the choices we make? Does personal responsibility disappear? Without personal responsibility, how is anyone guilty of anti-social behavior or mens rea?  Joshua Greene and Jonathan Cohen challenge the concept of free will in “For the law, Neuroscience Changes Nothing and Everything”. Greene and Cohen question the philosophical concepts of determinism, free will,...

First written 08/10/2019 Elites--The oligarchs have their unique class substrata, but are broadly divided into three main categories: financial, spiritual, and government leaders. The small membership circles vie for control of the levers that move the world with direct and indirect proxy conflict. The elites attempt to distance themselves from conflict, so they may maintain their social networks, which are vital for their survival. Sub-elites--The group of experts who support elites in their control and extraction of wealth from the people. Comprised of professional individuals such as: academics, lawyers, technocrats, and bureaucrats. They are delegated with the task of writing rules for the various...

Why a written constitution? Some countries have an uncodified or unwritten constitution. The United Kingdom and Canada are two examples. These nations operate by utilizing precedent from case law. The benefits of an unwritten constitution is a nimble legislative process and unfettering of executive power (Constitution Society, 2013). The drawback is the present governing assembly is restrained by the precedent of previous administrations--who may have had different priorities, culture, and practices. And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments...