Joseph Postell

Jul 8, 2024 | lawliberty.org | Dennis Hale |Marc Landy |Joseph Postell |Isaac Willour

When facing objections that he was violating his state’s constitution, George Washington Plunkitt famously quipped, “What’s the constitution among friends?” Today, at the national level, people across the political spectrum seem increasingly willing to ignore constitutional restraints for the sake of accomplishing short-term political goals. Like Plunkitt, both sides seem to agree that if the ends are sufficiently important, a constitution can be ignored in choosing the means to accomplish them.

May 16, 2024 | claremontreviewofbooks.com | Joseph Postell |Harvey Mansfield |Christopher Flannery |Martha Bayles

It is news to no one that Congress needs to be rehabilitated. It is mired in persistent, historically low approval ratings. The most significant policy changes today are made by the executive and judicial branches rather than by our elected representatives. Discontent in the House of Representatives finally boiled over in January 2023 when the chamber cast 15 votes before selecting Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as its speaker.

May 14, 2024 | teachingamericanhistory.org | Joseph Postell

Today’s blog is an edited excerpt from the introduction to TAH’s CDC volume, Congress, edited by Joseph Postell, available in our bookstore for free download or purchase. What’s wrong with our Congress? Judging by its approval ratings over the past decade, Congress has lost the support of the American people.

Apr 17, 2024 | claremontreviewofbooks.com | Joseph Postell |Michael Anton |Spencer Klavan

“Democracy,” Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed in his 1932 Commonwealth Club Address, “is a quest, a never-ending seeking for better things.” Filmmaker Michael Moore spoke more precisely in his film Capitalism: A Love Story (2009):Capitalism is an evil, and you cannot regulate evil. You have to eliminate it, and replace it with something that is good for all people. And that something, is called Democracy.

Jan 21, 2024 | heritage.org | Joseph Postell

When citizens visit the Capitol in Washington, DC, and observe the proceedings of the House of Representatives and the Senate from the gallery, they are often struck by how anti-climactic the experience is. The chambers themselves are beautiful and awe-inspiring, but the activity that goes on in them is not. They are usually empty: Very few Members bother to show up to listen to or participate in debate. If a Member is speaking, he is speaking for the cameras rather than to his colleagues.